Awakening of a Sorcerer
by Corruptmonk
Summary: On this 7th birthday, Harry discovered his legacy. A letter from his departed mother opened his path to become the new Sorcerer. AU-Harry. Intelligent/Powerful-Harry. Sorcerer-Harry. Logical-Harry. No Pairings. Will encompass Year 1 to 7 and then some. Derived from my sister's work with her permission.
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first-ever Harry Potter only story. It is lightly derived from my sister's work, Shadow Sorcerer, but not as detailed as hers. Enjoy and tell me what you think through a review, a comment, or a PM. Flames welcome.  
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**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.**

**Chapter 1: The Letter**

The Dursley family lived in one of the quiet corners of London, away from the hubbub of city life. But unknown to their neighbors, in Number Four Privet Drive, Whining, Surrey; the Dursleys hid a secret. A secret that they were very scared to reveal to the world.

Upon hearing this fact, quite a lot of you would believe that their secrets involved a family of murdering psychopaths; or maybe the family was part of the mafia that terrorized the many businesses in Great Britain. Or possibly, the Dursleys were involved in horror-filled experiments making zombies that hunger for human flesh ready to be unleashed upon the world of the living.

No, their scariest secret involves a boy; a boy no older than 7 years old that goes by the name of Harry James Potter.

Roughly six years ago, in one of the coldest and darkest nights of October, a 15-month old baby was left on their doorsteps, wrapped in a blanket, with only a letter telling the Dursleys what happened and why their family of three became a family of four.

It would seem that Harry James Potter was a survivor of a murder that killed his parents. With nowhere else to go, Harry was left in the caring hands of his Aunt Petunia Dursleys, his mother's sister, to be given a wonderful home and to grow up in a wonderful family.

But that wasn't the case.

Petunia Dursley hated her sister with a passion. Not because of petty sibling rivalry but because of the difference between the two of them.

You see, Lily Evans, Petunia's sister, was a witch and she married James Potter, a wizard. This was where her hatred stemmed from, the lack of magic in her made her resent Lily to the point that she cut all ties with her family.

Considering that Harry James Potter was the child of a witch and wizard, it only stood to reason that he was one as well. Couple that with the hatred that Petunia held against her sister that rubbed off on her husband, Vernon Dursley, Harry didn't end up with a happy life as most believed.

When Harry reached the age of 4, he was tasked to do all the chores in the house. He all the cleaning, cooking, gardening, and even ran errands if the Dursleys were of a mind to let him out of the house.

Instead of a bedroom filled with toys and books, Harry's room was the cupboard under the stairs, with dust and insects to keep him company during cold nights. All he had was a small tattered cloth for a blanket, a very thin mattress, and a very hard cot.

Harry was given little food and water, enough for him to survive. He wasn't beaten, well not that often anyway, though he was subjected to the harshest emotional and mental abuse that could have broken a child into a gibbering mess or turn homicidal at the point of a knife. He didn't which was a miracle in itself.

The beatings that Harry did get happened when he performed acts of 'freakishness' as his relatives dubbed it. There was this one time that his hair grew back after being 'trimmed' by his aunt since it was so untidy. It grew back the next morning. The beating he got from his uncle left him unconscious and stuffed back into his cupboard. He woke up three days later aching all over.

Another scene that earned him a beating was when his aunt saw him talk to a small green garden snake while tending to the roses. His aunt shrieked as if the hounds of hell were after her, calling Vernon from the office which made him sour because he was in the middle of a business meeting. This resulted in Harry getting another beating of a lifetime, earning him a few broken bones before being stuffed back into his cupboard to heal…again.

The funny thing was; Harry would always heal to a semblance of health after a few days of staying in the cupboard.

Because of this, many would think that they would end up seeing a meek and pliable Harry James Potter under the Dursley's thumb, or would think of him as a boy of low intelligence and common sense because he was content to just succumb to their 'tender' mercies.

How wrong they were.

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Harry James Potter looked down at the crowd of four below him with a grim, yet curious expression on his face. He was standing on the roof of his primary school looking down at his cousin, Dudley, and his gang of misfits.

A few minutes ago, he was being chased by his cousin and his gang for a round of 'Harry Hunting'. It was their favorite sport, running after his scrawny hide and beat him to a pulp once caught. This was a regular occurrence and the teachers would often turn a blind eye from his bruised form after Harry reported it to them.

After the first, second, and third report was dismissed, Harry ignored authority after that. How could he trust adults who didn't even bother to help him even when there was evidence to prove his claim?

Anyway, back to the chase. He jumped into an open dumpster to hide from his cousin but he ended up on the roof. How he got there, he didn't know. He walked to the edge of the rooftop and leaned over the railing to see his cousin and his gang look at the dumpster where he dove into with confusion.

With a grim smile on his face, Harry turned around towards a shadowed corner and slumped down to rest. He leaned his back on the cold wall and thought about all the weird things that happened to him.

This sudden…teleportation was just one of the few 'weird' situations that happened to him throughout his life. He termed it as such since his relative's name for it, freakishness as they called it, left a bad taste in his mouth.

First, his hair returned to its messy mop after being almost turned bald by his 'beloved' aunt.

Then, he had a delightful conversation with a garden snake a few years back. He was saddened that the snake was cut in half by his shrieking aunt with a large cleaver before being dragged into the house by the ear.

Not to mention the many times his body 'miraculously' healed after his uncle gave him his tender loving care.

Now, he teleported like those mutant characters in the telly from the dumpster to the roof of his school.

Unlike other boys who would have dismissed these happenings as fantasy, Harry James Potter wasn't like any other boys.

Despite how his relatives tried to beat the life out of him, he hid his real character behind the façade of a meek and pliable boy. He showed them what they wanted to see – a servant of a boy that had no will of his own. But deep inside, hidden behind the perfect mask, was a very intelligent boy who had the most logical mind in the world.

Harry analyzed every weird thing that happened to him. Thanks to his eidetic memory, he recalled everything in crystal clarity, already breaking down the events that led to it.

His mind remembered how afraid he was of showing his face to his schoolmates, with his almost bald head, for it to grow back in the morning.

His mind remembered how he talked to the snake. He didn't say anything in English, instead, his mouth released a lisping, snakelike sound that the snake understood. The snake did the same thing which he understood as if it was English.

The healing was quite obvious. Despite being unconscious during those times, his body just healed as if he possessed a powerful healing factor like those mutants on the telly.

Finally, his mind recalled the intense fear that he felt as he thought what would happen to him if his cousin caught up to him, teleporting out to safety after praying, despite his fear, that they wouldn't be able to find him in that dumpster.

His mind already attributed everything that happened to his emotions. Each of those times, not discarding the healing, he felt intense emotions for his, dare he say it, powers to manifest. The instance of these events snapped together in his mind, giving him the answer to his many questions.

His powers manifested when he felt intense emotions.

His powers would always result to his benefit.

His powers responded to his wants and needs.

He had powers that no normal human had.

With a gleam in his eyes, Harry James Potter stood up from his cold perch, making his way down to the ground. Lunch break just ended with a ring of the school bell and he didn't want to be late for his class.

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It has been two days since the recent manifestation of his powers. After spending hours upon hours trying to replicate the feat, he had to admit defeat since he couldn't do anything for his powers to manifest. Two nights he had to go back to sleep in sadness because his intelligent mind couldn't help him control these powers.

It was in the middle of the night that he woke up suddenly when he felt…something calling him. He didn't hear any voice nor did he felt anything nudge him awake.

No, he felt 'something' that woke him up and urged him go to the attic.

For two hours he ignored the feeling, trying to back to sleep since he needed to wake up early tomorrow to prepare breakfast being Dudley's birthday and all. However, the 'something' stopped him from going back to sleep. It was infuriating.

Sighing in frustration, he pulled out a foot of thin metal from underneath his cot and slid it at the gap where the lock was. He wiggled it a few times until he heard the faint click that signified the lock being undone. Harry grinned, one of the many, thanking his foresight of learning lock picking after bribing one of the boys in school with what little lunch money he had when he saw them open a locked door in the school cafeteria.

For him, it was a wise investment and it paid dividends. He didn't have to worry about the little food the Dursleys gave him. He just stole whatever he needed when his relatives were in deep sleep.

Thankfully, his night-time raid on the fridge went unnoticed since his aunt thought that it was his beloved Dudleykins satisfying his appetite. He was a growing boy, after all.

Harry slowly opened the cupboard door to avoid any noise; he exited his tiny 'bedroom' and made his way to the second floor. It was slow going since he had to avoid the places he memorized that produced creaking noises when someone stepped on them. When he reached the door to the attic, he turned the knob and walked up to the gloom.

When he got there, he looked around to grimace at the amount of dust in the place. Despite his façade, his Aunt Petunia's tendency to be a neat freak passed on to him. He did do the cleaning, after all. He couldn't stand the sight of dust, whether miniscule or not.

He was about to leave when he felt another nudge to his mind. He followed the invisible directions his mind gave him to a secluded portion of the attic. There in front of him was a trunk. What caught his attention to it was how the moon shone its light through the only window in the attic directly on top of the thing. Considering that he was still a 7-year old boy, his curiosity got the better of him.

He approached the trunk and dusted it a few times, grimacing all the while. After a semblance of being cleaned, Harry slowly opened the trunk before peering inside. He raised a questioning eyebrow when he saw two letters, two books, and a golden pendant.

Curious, he picked up one of the letters and was surprised when he saw his name on its front. Frowning as to why a letter was addressed to him, he exited his hand from the trunk while clutching the letter. He position himself so the light from the moon would enable him to read, he scratched the wax seal off with his finger and opened the envelope before pulling out a yellowed parchment.

He unfolded the letter and started to read.

_Dear Harry,_

_If you read this letter then I'm sad to say that your father and I are dead. This letter was written a week before Halloween when a friend of mine told me that it was needed. Confused? I know I was but who am I to doubt my friend. _

_You see, Harry, I have a friend named Selene Lovegood. She told me that circumstances would be happening that requires me to write this letter. Considering that I knew her for a very long time, I trusted her and this letter came to be. I don't know how to explain it but Selene had this uncanny ability to know things before they happened. It was because of this ability of hers that I wrote this letter. _

_Before I go into why I wrote this letter, I need to tell you about who you are. If you are with your aunt then I doubt you would have been told of the truth. If you don't know then continue to read, my son, and be aware of your birthright. _

_You see, Harry, there is a hidden world out there. A world of magic. Unbelievable? Well, you better believe it because everything about you is magical._

_I am a witch, a female practitioner of magic, while your father was a wizard, a male magical. The Wizarding World hid themselves from those without magic to protect themselves which is the reason why no one believed in them anymore. _

_Anyway, a war occurred and is occurring right now - a fight between the Light and Dark side of magic. Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters are terrorizing Wizarding Britain to try to subjugate it and its people to his rule. Your father and I are part of the Light side of Magic that fought tooth and nail to avoid that from happening. _

_However, if you read this letter, then the prophecy came to pass and both your father and I are dead with you the only survivor of our family. The prophecy states that a child would be born during the end of July that had the power to destroy the Dark Lord, Lord Voldemort. We were told by a trusted associate of ours that Voldemort heard the first part of the prophecy but not all of it. This in turn resulted in him hunting down our family to try to defeat the prophecy before it took hold. If we are dead and you are alive then it meant that the prophecy is in play and you defeated him. _

_Now, the reason why I wrote this letter is to explain some things to you. But first, you might be confused as to why you suddenly have this…urge to come to your aunt's attic until you found the trunk that held this letter. This I will explain in detail._

_You see, when you were born, you displayed a unique form of magic that was said to exist only in myths. My friend, Selene Lovegood, recognized this brand of magic thanks to her studies of ancient magical tomes. If you're curious, she is a Magic Historian and a Spell Crafter. _

_According to Selene, your unique brand of magic is called Sorcery, and you, doing the magic, is called a Sorcerer. _

_With her urging and help, we enchanted this letter in hopes that you would get an 'urge' to find it when your unique magic activates and until you reach a certain age. In this case, when you reach the age of 7. _

_You are a wizard, my beloved Harry, but because of the ability to use this unique magic – Sorcery, as Selene called it – you are also a Sorcerer. With these two combined, you are practically the most powerful magical in the world. _

_The key to unlocking the full power of your Sorcery is the pendant inside the trunk. You see, when you displayed Sorcery a few times, Selene and I had to bind the power to ensure that it wouldn't cause you harm. Unlike accidental magic which only happens when a witch or a wizard is experiencing extreme emotions, Sorcery is activated and used when the Sorcerer is under intense focus and intent. You can practically do anything and with the focus and intent of a baby, you were practically using Sorcery to do anything you wanted. The first time you used it, you teleported your father and I to your room when you had a crying fit. _

_To protect you, Selene resorted to digging out a rare tome from her library about the lost art of Sorcery. Using the instructions within, we constructed a binding of sorts on your powers. To unlock this, you have to put on the necklace since it acts as a key to the lock within you. Upon wearing the pendant, you will feel a wave of warmth encompassing your body; this signifies the power of the pendant destroying every single block we placed on you. With this, you can consciously control your powers without hurting you. _

_The book in the trunk is from Selene which she asked me to pass on to you as a gift. It is the only book in existence that described the power of Sorcery. Hopefully, with it, you can control your powers to do what you wanted it to do._

_I hope you forgive me and your father for not being with you, my son. If it was possible, we would fight tooth and nail just to be there with you right now. If we are dead in the hands of Voldemort then it would mean that we weren't up to the task. For this, I ask for your forgiveness._

_Know that we love you, Harry, and wish you the best in life. My only advice to you is to live your life the way you chose. Don't be shackled by the precepts of the prophecy or let other people's view sway you from your own. Trust yourself and your beliefs. _

_I love you, Harry, and I will see you soon in the next life though I hope it would be a very long time before I do. _

_Sincerely with love, _

_Your mom, _

_Lily Potter nee Evans_

Harry was leaking tears after reading the letter. It was from his mother. He felt happy to know that his parents were not some drunks that his aunt and uncle led him to believe. He was loved and cared for. His mother went through such an extent to protect him and to prepare him. He vowed right there and then that he would follow her advice even if it killed him.

With his resolve firmly in place, he placed the letter down on the floor and went back to the trunk. He picked out the golden pendant and pulled it over his head. He felt a wave of warmth wash through his body and he could feel a surge of energy encompass his being. He didn't know why but he knew right there and then that his powers were his to use, no longer encumbered by the block that was placed there by his mother and her friend.

Chuckling a bit to himself, he decided that he wouldn't be testing out Sorcery until he read the book. His eyes strayed to the other letter and the second book that his mother failed to mention. He pulled out the second letter and saw his name on the front of the envelope.

Unlike his mother's tidy scrawl, this one was more elegant, belaying a sense of authority that his mother lacked. He, again, destroyed the seal and pulled out the parchment before starting to read.

_Dear Harry,_

_You're mom was writing a letter to you so I decided to do the same, though she didn't know that I included a letter and a book in the trunk. _

_Anyway, short introduction. My name is James Andrew Potter and I am your dad. I'm not into that mushy stuff so expect this letter to be direct. _

_I don't know what your mother wrote in her letter but if I was to guess then she would be informing you all about Sorcery. Can you believe it? I'm a father of the only Sorcerer in the Wizarding World. I'm so proud of you, my son. _

_On with the show then. Since you're mother wrote something educational then I should write one too so this letter is all about your other heritage - what it meant to be a Potter. _

_You see, son, when Wizarding Britain was still in its infancy, there were ten major wizarding families who ruled the land as commanded by King Arthur and Merlin. These families were given the task to safeguard the wizarding world to make sure that it is protected and nurtured. The Potter family is just one of these families. _

_Considering what I just told you, the Potter holds a great amount of respect in Wizarding Britain. The ten families who ruled the lands during King Arthur's reign were considered wizarding royalty. We didn't have kings or queens to rule the magical side but the ten families were the head of the government, the Wizengamot. The ten families make the decision and everyone follows. That's how important we are, my son. _

_Anyway, the book I placed inside the trunk is a history of the Potter family. The book has been passed down from generation to generation, updated by each Potter to chronicle their life. It doesn't run out of paper as it is enchanted. The last entry on the book should be my own with my father before mine. Aside from the Potter Family History, the book also catalogues all the spells that the Potter Family created. It is a family secret so make sure that these spells stay in the family. You can teach it to your wife and kids but no one else. _

_There are a few things I want you to do after you read the book and I will list them below:_

_First, when you reach the age of 9, make your way to Diagon Alley. The entrance is at the Leaky Cauldron, located in Charing Cross Road. If you have a wand, you can get there by taking the Knight Bus. Just hold out your wand and the bus will appear. If you don't have a wand then just take a normal bus to get there. (The Knight Bus requires payment as fare but just tell them that you are lost and you need help to give you a free ride *wink wink*)_

_Second, when you arrive in Diagon Alley, make your way to Gringotts. It is a bank ran by goblins. Be polite with them since the Potters have always been polite to the bankers. I, along with your mother, are Goblin Friends. - a title that is not bestowed lightly and grants us a few boons with the goblins. Look for a teller and politely ask for Griphook. He is the family's account manager. I left him further instructions that needed to be followed to the letter. Please follow them, my son. _

_Lastly, I want you to live a happy life. I don't know what the future holds but Selene, your mother's friend, hinted that it will be full of challenges for you. She is somewhat of a seer so I trust her advice more than anything. The path you will be walking is dark and paved with danger but I know you can handle it my son. Hopefully, the instructions I left with the goblins should prepare you for what's to come. _

_I love you, Harry, my son, my pride, and my joy. _

_Your loving father and dad,_

_James Andrew Potter_

_Lord of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter. _

Harry gave out a soft smile as he finished reading his father's letter. It felt him with pride and joy that the Potters were more than just a name. His family was important in the magical world and he vowed that he would uphold the name of the Potter Family till his dying breath.

He replaced everything inside the trunk and locked it. He looked around before a smirk made its way to his face. He raised his hand and gathered in his Will, feeling a build-up of power in his body, a roaring sound echoed in his mind before he released the pent-up energy with a single word.

Every single dust in the attic disappeared.

The smirk in his face turned into a wide, happy grin. From this day onwards, things will change and this time, it would be for the better.

Harry James Potter has finally awakened to his birthright.

Harry James Potter has just awakened to become the only Sorcerer in the Wizarding World.

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**End of Chapter 1**

**Please leave a comment or a review.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow, just wow! Being the pilot chapter for this story, it had garnered a lot of reviews and followers in just half a day. I'm quite happy that you all found my story to your liking and I pray that I'm up to the task of providing you with a quality read and pray as well that my muse cooperates (gives Muse a glare). **

**Anyway, before I proceed with the next chapter of the story, I would like to thank FantasyLover74 for helping me fine tunes my ideas and, of course, her support. Kudos, mistress. **

**Anyway, on the with the story. **

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**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and Belgariad. **

**Chapter 2: Dropping the Mask**

A 9-year old Harry James Potter walked out of the principal's office with a large grin on his face. In his hand he was clutching a rolled up piece of paper with a red ribbon tied around the center.

"You made it?" asked a boy wearing expensive clothes. The boy saw the diploma Harry was carrying. "You did. For a minute there I thought you dropped out like the others."

"Of course he made it, William. You of all people should know that Harry is way smarter than the rest of us." a girl beside William said with a sniff. "Besides, it is only logical for someone of his intelligence to take the exam early so he could get out of high school since he isn't learning anything from the lessons it offers."

"Please, Bridgette, you're making me blush with your compliments." Harry said in an absolutely straight face. "Keep them coming though, I don't mind in the least."

William and Bridgette were his best friends. He met them a year ago when he decided to come out of his mask and show his intelligence to the world. The teachers were skeptical at first but when they saw Harry answer all the questions they asked and aced all the tests, they decided to give him a placement and IQ exam to determine the extent of his mind. They were quite surprised when Harry aced the exam, thus bumping him to become a junior, the youngest in record.

According to the teachers, he was an 8-year old prodigy and the British Government offered him a scholarship to mark that event. He no longer had to worry about the Dursleys forking out money for his tuition. The government of Great Britain would be shouldering all the money he would need to complete his education.

When he joined the class five years his senior, he was bombarded by questioning looks from some of the students, most of them asking why a 'kid' was in their class. When they discovered that he aced all his exams and scored at the top in the IQ exam, they quieted down and accepted it without question.

It was a few months being a junior that Harry met two people that had the same mental capacity and attitude as him – William and Bridgette

William Trent Wilson came from a very rich family. Unlike other rich kids, he didn't brag his wealth. In fact, he had a cool and laid back personality that Harry found to his liking and was quite friendly with everyone even if they were dirt poor. The two of them met when William sat beside Harry during lunch and their friendship sprouted from there. It didn't hurt that William could keep up with Harry's mind as the two discussed the classes they were taking.

The next friend Harry met was Bridgette Cassandra Lee. She was a mix between a Chinese mother and an American father. She also came from a very influential family and was rolling in money thanks to his mother's financial empire in China based mostly in making and selling high-quality wine. She was William's friend at first but the boy introduced her to Harry and the two hit it off immediately.

It took two months for Harry to get used to the two's doting presence since they treated him like a surrogate younger brother. He was a kid after all compared to their age.

Thus, the trip became the talk of the school – a prodigy and two rich kids of similar mind.

Harry, despite not having such an influential or rich name tied to his family (not that they know of anyway), mixed well with the two 'aristocrats' because of his somewhat cool countenance and intelligence. It was easy to see that the trio dominated their class and had won many awards for their school thanks to their combined brainpower.

"Oh come off it, Harry dear. You don't blush and I'm starting to think that you don't know how." Bridgette said with a teasing grin. "Now, how does it feel to finally graduate high school years early?"

"To be honest, I don't feel any different." Harry answered honestly; he didn't really know what all the fuss was about. So what if he graduated high school early? It was just a stepping stone for his goal after all – gaining independence so no one would end up controlling him. "Besides, you and William will be taking the same exams next year since both of you are of the same mind as me. High school is boring, after all."

"Only you, Harry, only you." William said with a shake of his head before giving Harry a long look, eyeing the younger boy's outfit.

"What?" Harry asked hesitantly since he knew the look William was sporting. The last time he succumbed to that look, he was subjected to two hours of shopping that didn't end up with anything substantial. Harry refused to be bought anything if not with his own money. He wasn't a charity case, far from it.

"So…are you going to come with us so we can buy you some decent clothes?" asked William as he surveyed Harry's outfit. He was no longer wearing Dudley's castoffs but his aunt didn't bother to give him quality clothing those she bought for Dudley. Ever since William saw him wearing the sub-standard apparel, Harry was hounded by William to go shopping at least twice a week with him saying no all the time and refused to be dragged to the mall by the shopaholic heir.

"Don't worry about it, William." said Harry with an indifferent shrug. He wasn't worried about his clothes. Once he had access to his vaults in Gringotts, he had plans to go shopping. That would be the end of the annoyance if he had anything to say about it.

"And _why_ not, Harry dear?" purred Bridgette. "We can easily get you the best clothes that money can buy. Even mother said so and gave me a bit of pocket money to spend on you. Don't tell me you're still shy from accepting our gifts?"

Ever since he met Bridgette, the girl had been on his case regarding his attire. She had no problem with Harry's poise and posture since, for her, it was high class. But she found his choice of clothes appalling. She kept giving Harry gifts – an expensive shirt here, a stylish leather belt there, and a few accessories to…spice him up a bit. He wore them sometimes but he preferred to pick a style of his own to choose from.

When Bridgette found out that he refused to wear anything she gave him, she had the gall to bring her mother into the mix. Adriana Lee was a doting mother, and when Bridgette introduced Harry to her the first time, she practically squealed and gave him a hug that almost bruised his ribs. Since that day, Bridgette would hound Harry to change his fashion and Adriana would back her daughter up.

"Shy, I am not, Bridgette Cassandra Lee." said Harry, watching in amusement as Bridgette's haughty look turned annoyed. She really hated it when someone used her full name. "Besides, I will be busy today since I have things to do that require my complete attention. And don't you dare give your mother a call and telling her that I refused another shopping trip. " He added the last part when he saw Bridgette bring out her expensive phone. He pointedly ignored the glare leveled at him for ruining her plan.

"And what is that, Harry?" asked William curiously. "You are always busy. If you're not in the library studying in advance, you go home early for one of your projects. Which is it this time?"

Harry gave William a long-suffering look before answering.

"I have reached the right age for me to claim my inheritance. I just need to meet with my father's…solicitor to get the ball rolling." replied Harry. He caught the shine of realization in Bridgette's eyes. "You know something, Bridgette?"

"Yes," said the girl with a smug look on his face.

"Know what?" asked William, confused.

"Did you know, William, that Harry here is no ordinary British Citizen?" she asked rhetorically. This caused Harry to inwardly stiffen, his mind racing at the possibility of Bridgette knowing his…secret. His face didn't show any emotion except to quirk an eyebrow at her.

"Just spill it out, _Cas_." William said with an annoyed huff.

"You know I don't like it when you use that nickname…_Bill_." Bridgette sniped at the boy.

"Back at you, _woman_!" quipped William though he had an irritated look on his face since he didn't like being called Bill. Sure, it was a shortened version of his name and all Williams in the world suffered under the same scrutiny. It was the norm but it didn't mean the he had to like it.

"Alright, you two, stop that now." interrupted Harry with a slight edge to his voice. This brought up Bridgette and William short. Despite how they adored Harry and treated Harry like a younger brother, there were times that Harry had this…powerful air around him that one can't help but be inferior to. This was one of _those_ times. "Anyway, Bridgette, what do you _mean_ when you said I was no ordinary British citizen?"

"As if you didn't know, Harry. I studied English history in my spare time and I discovered that the Potters were no ordinary British family. According to history, the Potters were one of the lords that help turn the Great Britain to what it is today. Don't tell me you didn't know that, dear?" asked Bridgette with a raised eyebrow when he noticed the confused look on Harry's face.

"Well, I know of something like that about my family but not in exact detail." Harry admitted. He knew that he was royalty in the wizarding world, but he didn't know that it extended to the non-magical world as well. "To be honest, that is one of the reasons why I want to meet with my dad's solicitor so I can find out everything I need t know about my inheritance and family. Considering I'm an orphan, only my dad's solicitor can answer all the question I have."

"Dude! You're a Lord!" William quipped with a grin on his face. "Hail, Lord Harry James Potter!"

Harry smacked him on the head, cutting off his rather loud declaration. Even if it was true, he didn't like it to be announced to the world.

"Do shut up, William, or I'll show you how good I am in Home Economics class by stitching that mouth of yours shut, preferably with a rusty needly." growled Harry making William mouth close shut with an audible click when his teeth hit.

"Harry," said Bridgette in a condescending tone. "You _are_ good in _every_ class which is why you just graduated from High School even if you're still a sophomore at an age where you should be in your fifth grade, I might add. If that isn't a testament of your prodigious brain, I don't know what is."

"Again, Bridgette, you're making me blush." Harry deadpanned, getting a huff from the girl.

"Fine." resigned Bridgette. It was rare to get a reaction out of Harry, no matter how much she tried. "Are we still free this weekend? Mother asked me if you're still up for our trip to the Lee family vineyard.

"I'm in. How about you, William." Harry asked William whose face brightened immediately. Bridgette's mother, Adriana, invited both of them to a weekend outing to their vineyard. Of course he was interested since he didn't get to see much of anywhere outside school and Privet Drive, though he vowed to correct that after his meeting with the goblins later.

"Of course, I wouldn't miss it for the world. The Lee Family's vineyard produces the best wine in this side of Great Britain. Sampling all those aged wines would be heaven." William said with a goofy grin on his face. The Wilson heir was a wine connoisseur and wouldn't pass up the opportunity to sample wines from anywhere. For Harry and Bridgette, it was just an excuse to get drunk since he was still technically a minor to drink. William adamantly ignored the two when they pointed it out the first time they said it.

"Great, now if you'll excuse me, I have an appointment to get to." said Harry with a wave of his hand as he made his way to the school exit. Bridgette and William simply returned the wave and made their way to their respective limos, eager to return home to get started with the summer.

* * *

After leaving William and Bridgette, Harry made a beeline to the bus stop. However, instead of taking the bus, he swerved to a dark alley and walked to a shadowed corner before translocating to his room in Privet Drive.

After reading the letters that his parents left him, Harry went into a frenzy studying the book on Sorcery while doing the same for the Potter history book, which he dubbed as the Potter Family Grimoire, since it held the spells that his family created and kept secret from the rest of the magical world.

His main study, however, was the book from Selene Lovegood entitled _Sorcerer: The Truth of Sorcery. _

According to the book, a Sorcerer was a rare breed of witch or wizard capable of using Sorcery on top of Wizarding Magic. This was the reason why Sorcerer's were so rare and celebrated in the Magical World. No one could brag able to do both at the same time, not that they could perform Sorcery since it was a unique talent that only Merlin was reputed to have.

Unlike the average wand-waving magic that most witches and wizards use, Sorcery involves only the Sorcerer's focus and intent, both combined to be termed as _The Will._ Once sufficient energy was gathered through the focus of one's Will, the Sorcerer would release that pent-up energy to alter reality to conform to their will by saying the_ Word_. Any word may be used to activate the spell.

To sum it up, Sorcery was merely the application of _The Will and The Word_ – think what you want to happen, focus hard on it, and let it happen by saying the word. It was easier than memorizing incantations and wand movements.

The book said that Sorcery had a few limitations as opposed to the various rules in Wizarding Magic.

For example, Sorcery can do certain things that witches and wizards couldn't. Sorcery was ruled by one's intelligence and imagination. If a Sorcerer knows how to do it then he or she could definitely do it with their power. If they don't they that feat was above their capability.

This was why the book stated that Sorcerers were scholars above everything else. They spent most of their time studying, learning the how and why in order to duplicate the feat with Sorcery. It was because of this reason why Sorcerers were blessed with amazing brainpower, allowing them to use 80% of their brain as opposed to the 10% that normal humans used.

Specialization in Sorcery was based according to a Sorcerer's predisposition. Some were more attuned to mind-based Sorcery while some were powerful when it came to battle-based Sorcery. General abilities, like Translocation, Telepathy, and Telekinesis was practiced and used by all Sorcerers. Some just took it to a higher level depending on their tenacity and interest.

The book also contained exercises that a budding Sorcerer should familiarized with and master.

The first exercise was meditation to increase their focus and to gain complete control over their minds. Sorcerers were, first and foremost, powerful telepaths and telekinetics. They could read and invade minds easily, while making use of their brainpower to move objects without touching them.

The second exercise was to exercise the ability through certain feats of Sorcery so a Sorcerer could call upon the power instantaneously. The book mentioned that focusing one's Will requires constant usage in order to build the necessary strength to handle more power. It was like muscle. You keep using it and it grows stronger by the day. This exercise involves Translocating small objects from one location to another at a rapid pace until such time that no more concentration was needed.

Finally, the third exercise involved opening one's mind to the primal force of nature in order to affect it. According to the book, once a Sorcerer gained a connection to nature, he or she would be able to understand the elements and animals perfectly, and able to manipulate them to his or her will. The book also mentioned that a Sorcerer could shift to ANY animal form they wished as long as they had a connection with that animal.

After reading the book from cover to cover, Harry immediately started the first exercise since reading minds and moving objects with his mind alone was a great skill to have. It took him two months of constant meditation to achieve enough focus to move a crayon. It took two more weeks for Harry to move that crayon around with just an afterthought. Reading minds was easy practice since he used his classmates and the Dursleys as target practice. He didn't cheat by reading the teacher's mind for lesson and answers to tests. He wanted to be smart and intelligent using his own brainpower and not Sorcery.

Because of trying to read their minds every day, he was able to reach the point where he could skim through their thoughts in a second with no one the wiser.

The Dursleys also helped in improving his talents without them knowing about it. All the chores in the house were accomplished using Sorcery. Cleaning house involved a lot of telekinesis and translocating the dust to somewhere else.

The book mentioned that a Sorcerer could not un-create things. If they tried, they'll simply get a migraine that would leave them unconscious for hours. Since he didn't want to suffer from such a debilitating pain, he simply used a talent all Sorcerer's have – Translocation, the talent of transporting oneself or others to another location as long as they knew where the location was.

He happily translocated the dusts in the house to a playground where Dudley and his gang frequented with relish.

When Harry read this from the book, he realized that his teleportation was a manifestation of the talent so he practiced it with relish since disappearing from one place to another was a skill that would be quite useful in the long run.

To sum it all up, all the chores Harry was subjected to using Sorcery to speed up the task. This resulted in him finally confronting his aunt and uncle and giving them the fear of hell itself.

When his aunt tasked him to cook breakfast, he simply did the cooking while seated. He used his Telekinetic powers to move the pots and pans, cut up the ingredients, and so on. It was safe to say that his aunt shrieked when she saw him use his 'freakishness' in the house.

Of course, with her aunt's shriek, Vernon and Dudley immediately ran to the kitchen to be treated to the same sight. Vernon tried to punch Harry but the he simply used his Telekinesis to throw the man to the wall and let him stick there while he hummed as he cooked breakfast. Dudley tried to the do the same to get the same treatment.

After that event, the Dursleys left him alone and gave him the second bedroom that was a repository of Dudley's old toys. The pudgy boy didn't even complain since he was afraid of Harry and his 'freakish ways'.

Harry accepted that offering and banished all of Dudley's toys to a playground he knew for the kids to enjoy and cleaned up the place. He heard from the gossip mill that Santa Claus dropped off used toys in the middle of night for the kids to enjoy. He fixed up the shelves and bed, giving him the perfect room to enjoy.

It was because of this that there was a shift in power inside the Dursley home. His uncle, aunt, and cousin ignored his presence and clamped their mouth shut every time Harry used Sorcery to do the chores for fear that it would be used against them. Harry ignored them in turn.

Harry was now fed and clothed properly since his aunt and uncle was afraid of him using his powers to extract vengeance, not that Harry would since he didn't want to stoop to their level. His cousin no longer hounded his steps and Harry Hunting was finally laid to rest.

All-in-all, Harry went along with it. He didn't outright threaten his aunt and uncle when he needed something. They just accommodated his requests to the bare minimum, like food and clothes.

Since they were leaving him alone, Harry finally dropped his mask at school and showed everyone the mind behind the façade. He aced all his tests, answered all of the teacher's questions, and studied like a man…er…boy possessed.

After seeing a steady rise in his test scores and achievements, his teachers approached him with a placement and IQ exam to determine how smart he really was.

He was bumped to high school level after that, saying goodbye to Dudley's ugly mug forever. He no longer wore his mask of stupidity; he had good friends, and had the respect of everyone who knew him. Harry was content and happy.

Appearing in his room, Harry immediately went to the closet and chose the good clothes gifted to him by his friends. Today was the day he was going to Diagon Alley for the first time. He knew how to get to Charing Cross Road thanks to the maps in the school library. All he needed to do was take the bus and he would get there within the hour. Once he gets there, he vowed to decide on a place where he could teleport from to avoid commuting.

After all, why take the bus and wait for an hour to get to where you're going when he could easily get there in a blink of an eye.

After putting on his respectable clothes, he finished up his outfit by putting on a cap that William gave him. Considering that he was the sole survivor of Voldemort's attack on his family, he didn't want to be recognized. Also, the cap hid his scar very well. It was no use having people gawk at him because of it.

During his meditation, he saw his mother protect him from a snake-like man in a dark cloak. The man killed his mom using a green spell and fired the same spell at him. It was at that point that he realized that the scar on his forehead might have been a remnant of that curse. He could be easily recognized because of it so it was a good idea to hide it so no one would know who he was.

Checking himself in the mirror and nodding at how good he looked, he teleported out of the room, not bothering to tell his aunt where he was going, to a hidden corner near the bus stop. He saved his small allowance for this trip and he had 200 pounds to spare. He didn't spend any of it since most of his school supplies were created using Sorcery. No need to waste resources after all.

After getting on the right bus and paying the fare, he settled down on a seat to wait the travel out.

* * *

It was almost an hour later that Harry finally got off the bus in Charing Cross Road. It didn't take him long to find the Leaky Cauldron since it was just across the street. He wondered why no one was paying the run-down inn any attention considering how tacky it looked compared to the modern building around it. Chalking it up to a spell that the magical used to hide the place, he confidently crossed the street and went inside the Leaky Cauldron.

There weren't a lot of people around and Harry definitely noticed that he just walked in on a different world, the Wizarding World. His clothing felt out of place compared to the colorful robes the various witches and wizards were wearing. Shrugging it off, he walked over to the old man behind the counter.

"Excuse me, can you help me?" Harry asked in his best child-like voice. Considering that he was still 9 years old, he pulled that out perfectly.

"What can I do for you, young man?" asked the barman with a toothy smile. Harry noticed the crooked teeth that man was sporting.

"Um, you see, my parents left me in one of the shops across the street and told me to meet with them in Gringotts when I'm done. I forgot that I couldn't get into Diagon Alley without them so can you please show me the way?" Harry asked, hitting the man with the full force of his 'help me, please' look. The man instantly caved.

"Of course, of course. You don't need to worry, my boy. I'll help you get into the alley in no time." said the barman with a chuckle before wiping his hands on the apron and beckoning for Harry to follow him out back. They reached the back of the inn and the barman faced the brick wall. "Here we are. Now watch, my boy, so you can open the way to the alley anytime when you get your wand."

Harry watched the old man tap a few of the bricks with his wand causing the wall to slowly part, brick by brick, to reveal Diagon Alley in its magical glory.

"Welcome, my boy, to Diagon Alley!" said the man with a grandiose wave of his hand. Harry couldn't help but stare.

"Wow!" Harry said, mesmerized by the sight in front of him.

"First time seeing the place, I take it?" asked the man. Harry nodded his head.

"Yes sir, this is my first time seeing the place. My parents promised to take me here since it's my birthday you see." Harry lied, his mask of happiness in place.

"Ah, well, Happy Birthday, my boy." said the man, patting Harry on the shoulder. "The name is Tom. I own the Leaky Cauldron and if you need any help in the future, make sure to look for me alright?"

"Yes, sir. My name is James Dwight, by the way, and thank you for showing me into the Alley, sir." Harry said, making a name on the spot since he didn't want to reveal his real name. He held out his hand which Tom took with a shake.

"What a polite lad you are. Don't mention it, James. Now off you trot. Gringotts is that white building at the end of the alley. You won't miss it. I daresay your parent must be waiting for you." said Tom as he gestured towards the large white building that he indicated as Gringotts, Wizarding Bank.

"I think they are, sir. Anyway, thanks again. Bye!" said Harry as he sprinted off towards the bank. He didn't want to act like a child but if he wanted to remain anonymous then it was best to stick to how a 9-year old would act seeing the magical alley for the first time.

* * *

**End of chapter 2**

**Please leave a comment or a review. **


	3. Chapter 3

**I would like to thank those who send me PMs, giving me ideas on what I forgot and some suggestion for this story's improvement. Kudos!**

**On with the story. **

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Belgariad. **

**Chapter 3: Gringotts Discoveries**

Harry got to the bank without problems. His eyes strayed to the many shops along the alley selling their wares to the wizarding public.

Harry had to stop himself from gaping as he saw witches and wizards dressed in more colorful robes, owls and other animals, some that he didn't recognize from his non-magical studies, being sold in their respective cages; jars containing disgusting things that the man selling them informed everyone that it was quality potion ingredients, and so on. He decided to check them out later after his meeting with the goblins and made some point to visit a few shops, especially the bookshop since he needed to know everything about the magical world to be prepared for it.

He walked up the steps and bowed to an angry-looking goblin guard who was shocked at being shown respect. The guard bowed back and ushered him inside. Harry paused for a bit to study the place before walking towards a goblin clerk who was counting coins out of a bag.

"Excuse me, sir. Can you spare a moment of your time?" asked Harry in a polite voice. The goblin looked down at him with a raised eyebrow, not being used to be addressed politely, even from a boy.

"What can I do for you, young man?" asked the goblin in a polite voice though it came out as if the goblin was angry. Harry chalked it up to the quirk of the goblin race.

"You see, sir, I am an orphan and a letter from my father told me that I need to be here when I reach 9 years old and look for the goblin in charge of my family's account." Harry informed him. Since he was working blind and was unused to the ways of magic, he decided to ask be indirect in his approach.

The goblin's eyes studied him while he was inwardly surprised. Gringotts only assigned a goblin to a specific family account if such family was of a higher standing in the Wizarding World. In most cases, ordinary witches and wizards would just be given a vault, paid of course, and a teller would take them there to get money. A goblin manager was needed for account holders of stature, managing estates and assets that goblins specialized on.

"I see. May I know your name, young man, and did your father tell you the name of the goblin you are supposed to meet with?" asked the goblin.

Harry placed his hand inside his pocket, using Sorcery to create a piece of paper with his name on it. He silently pulled out the created paper and passed it over to the goblin who took it curiously. Harry saw the goblin read the name on the paper before the teller's eyes rose to his hairline (if he had any hair, that is). The young sorcerer also noticed the goblin's eyes flick over to the cap that hid his scar from prying eyes.

"Ah, please follow me." the goblins informed him curtly. Harry nodded and waited for the goblin teller to get out of his desk. The teller led him to a narrow corridor with offices on the side. Harry noticed the wooden plaque attached to each door with names like Sharptongue, Axesmasher, Brainbasher, and the likes. Harry had to stifle a laugh from spewing from his mouth at the absurd names the goblins were using.

The goblin teller stopped at one of the doors, opening it to reveal another goblin, though this one was dressed to impress, reading a document.

"Griphook, young Harry Potter is here to see you on appointment from his father." the teller informed Griphook who immediately ushered them in.

"Thank you for bringing him to me, Spleeneater." said Griphook as a form of dismissal since the goblin immediately left the office though not before Harry thanked him, which earned the young Sorcerer a shocked look and a nod from the teller. Griphook saw all this and inwardly approved of the Potter heir's action since it reflected that of his parents. "Please, Mr. Potter, take a seat so we can get started."

Harry gave Griphook a bow before being ushered to a seat. He sat down and waited for Griphook to take his.

"So, Mr. Potter, did you by chance receive a letter from your father?" asked Griphook, giving Harry a piercing look.

"Do I need it?" asked Harry with a raised eyebrow. He didn't bring the letter with him but he could easily use translocation retrieve it from the trunk hidden in his room.

"Yes," Griphook said with a nod. "You're father informed me that you will be given a letter instructing you to come here. However, I will take the letter as proof. It is only right after all."

Harry nodded and placed a hand inside his pocket while envisioning the letter in his mind. He gathered in his Will and felt a surge of power flow out of him, translocating the letter into his pocket. He grabbed the envelope and placed it on the desk and slid it towards the goblin who was giving him a long look.

Griphook knew that the boy didn't have the letter and felt the surge of power coming from the Potter Heir. It would seem that the late Lord Potter's claim of his son being a Sorcerer was correct since the boy just used one of its talents like a master.

"Thank you, Mr. Potter." said Griphook as he read the letter. "I would like to commend you on such a masterful display of Sorcery. I daresay you have Translocation down as an art form considering how you retrieved the letter from where it was hidden in a just a few seconds without batting an eyelash.

This surprised Harry since he didn't know that goblins could sense him use Sorcery. He decided to be direct since the goblin was doing the same.

"I didn't know that goblins could feel the use of Sorcery, Master Griphook." asked Harry with a cold mask on his face. Griphook saw the guarded expression on the boy so he gave him a grin, though it looked odd on the goblin's face.

"You underestimate us, Mr. Potter." said Griphook. "Goblins, like other sentient magical creatures, are very much aware of a Sorcerer's capabilities. The use of Sorcery had a...an indication of sorts. I think you are familiar with the surge and roaring in your mind after using Translocation or Sorcery in general?"

"You can hear it?" Harry asked in surprise. The book Selene Lovegood gave him didn't mention this little tidbit.

"Not hear it, Mr. Potter, but feel it, yes." answered Griphook, finally putting down the letter. "You see, magical creatures are aware of a Sorcerer's power. Sure, only a fellow Sorcerer can hear the…surge as our elders called it but we can definitely _feel_ its unique brand of magic being used. And you, Mr. Potter, is a powerful Sorcerer considering how powerful the surge was."

"You mean there are other Sorcerers around?" Harry asked, curious this time. Griphook shook his head.

"Unlike what witches and wizards knew of Sorcerers, they don't just pop out of the blue, so to speak. Sorcerers are rare, appearing only once in a thousand years. The last known Sorcerer was Myrrdin Emrys or otherwise known as Merlin Ambrosius, the founder and father of Wizarding Magic."

Harry thought about this for a few seconds, vowing to find out if the goblin knew of any books that discussed more about Sorcery in detail later. For now, he needed to hear his father's instructions and get this day over and done with.

"Hm, might we discuss that later at length? My father informed me in his letter that he had more instructions for me that you would be supervising." Harry said, wanting to get down to business.

"Indeed. I will direct you to a shop where you can purchase books on Sorcerers and Sorcery in general. Regarding your father's instructions, I have prepared everything needed for his instructions to come to pass. There are three things that he wanted you to do. First, he wanted you to ascend to become the Potter Lord. To do that, you need to be emancipated according to the law."

"Emancipation is rare, well, in the non-magical world anyway. How is it different here?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow. He liked the idea of being emancipated since it offered him freedom in everything. He didn't want to wait for almost a decade to achieve that status.

"Emancipation is indeed rare and not easily granted, Mr. Potter. However, here in the Wizarding World, there is a law that states that if the heir is the last of his family then a clause would be activated giving him the right to request for emancipation and granted immediately. So you have three choices. Choice one, you enjoy being a child and all the privilege it has…"

"I don't think I enjoy being a child all that much, Master Griphook." Harry interrupted the goblin with a grimace which the goblin account manager noticed. "Next?"

"Second choice, you go to the Ministry of Magic and request for Emancipation. You will be interviewed by a panel, the Lords and Ladies of the Wizengamot, to determine if you are qualified to be emancipated."

"Next please. I don't think I have the patience to be tried like a criminal, being asked questions that they had no right to ask." Harry said coolly. Griphook smirked in approval.

"Your third and last choice is to take advantage of the Lord of the House Clause to grant you the right to acquire emancipation through the Lord's Ring."

"Lord's Ring? What's that?" Harry asked immediately. Griphook placed a small box on the table and opened it to reveal a gold signet ring with a cut sapphire emblazoned on top of a crest – a Gryphon holding a blade and a wand on its front talons.

"This is the Potter's Lord Ring. Unlike non-magical ancestry rings, the magical variety has a form of…sentience to it. It had the ability to determine whether the person who wore it is granted the right to rule the family, so to speak. By wearing this ring, you are placed under a magical trial of sorts, the ring analyzing your memories and your magical power to see if you are fit to wear the mantle of your inheritance. If you are rejected then the ring will return to this box and you would have to wait until you come of age to wear it for real and become Lord Potter. If it accepts then the ring will glow and bond itself to your magical core, ensuring that you and only you can take it off."

Harry didn't hesitate with his decision. He immediately took the ring from the box and studied it for a few seconds before placing it on the index finger of his right hand.

Instantly, a surge of magic flowed into his body. He could practically feel the magic reach into his mind and core; analyzing, studying, and determining if he was qualified to wear it. As fast as it came, the surge and warmth left his body. The Potter ring glowed a bright blue before it resized to fit his finger, the glow disappearing as fast as it came.

"Excellent," Griphook said, giving his hands a clap. "You are now an adult in the eyes of magic and the Wizarding Law, Lord Potter."

"Please, Master Griphook, please call me Harry. We can use that honorific in public but in private, just call me Harry." Harry said with a small smile on his face. He was still a bit overwhelmed from the rush of magic that went into his body. It was tiring and exhilarating at the same time.

"As you wish, Harry." Griphook said with an approving nod, making Harry feel as if he passed another test. "I extend the same to you, call me Griphook."

"Thank you, Griphook." Harry said with a bow. He definitely liked this goblin. The little creature was all business and he liked it. "What's next on the agenda?"

"The second instruction your father left me is for you to undergo a Magical Inheritance Test that only Gringotts can provide, for a fee of course." Griphook said with a grin making Harry smirk and nod. "Your father already paid for the service and all you need to do is to take the test."

"What does this test involve and how does it work?" Harry asked curious, making a mental note to really buy a lot of books about the Wizarding World since he was woefully unprepared. He didn't like feeling stupid in front of a learned individual.

"The Magical Inheritance Test is given to a child your age to determine his full magical potential. Most don't bother to go through this test since they have parents to guide them to what they are capable of. You, however, is in need of this test in order to determine what you are magically attuned to. The test will show you what areas you need to know about and learn. Think of it as a magical guide post of learning, if you wish."

"Interesting. How do I go about in taking this test?" asked Harry eagerly. He knew about Sorcery and used it a lot of times that he was familiar with it. His magical side, however, was unpracticed and he needed to know what he could do with it if he was to grow in the magical world.

"The test is easy. A parchment spelled by goblin magic is needed. All you need to do is place five drops of your blood on the parchment to determine your magical potential."

"I take it that you already have the parchment ready?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow causing the goblin to grin at him. Griphook pulled out a piece of yellowed parchment from his drawer and a dagger. Harry eyed the latter apprehensively causing the goblin smirk.

"Use this dagger to cut your finger and place five drops of your blood on the parchment. It will glow for a bit then it will display everything you need to know about your magic." Griphook informed him before pushing the dagger and parchment across the table towards Harry, who sighed and picked up the dagger, pricked his finger on the sharp tip causing blood to appear, and gripped the wounded finger over the parchment and let five drops of blood to fall on it. He noticed the small wound close, which Harry mused was due to the enchantment on the dagger.

The paper glowed briefly before words started to appear on its face. When it was done, Harry took the paper and started to read.

_**Name: Harry James Evans-Potter**_

_**Magical Status: Emancipated Minor - Lord of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter, Lord of House Evans.**_

_**Magical Lineage: Potter, Evans**_

_**Magical Rank: Potential Mage, Sorcerer Adept**_

_**Magical Index: (425/1000)**_

_**Magical Potential: Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, Mind Magic, Shapeshifter, Parseltongue (acquired), Wandless Magic**_

_**Magical Blocks: Sorcerer Block (removed), Magic Block (active, 70% locked), Mental Block (forcefully removed)**_

_**Magical Focus: None – wand and staff compatible**_

Harry raised an eyebrow at the information he was reading concerning his magical potential. However, his eyes narrowed when he saw the two blocks on him. The mental block was gone but the magical block was still partially there. He needed answers and he needed it now.

"Griphook, can you explain the results to me in details? Especially the part where it said that I have blocks on me?" Harry said grimly as he gave the parchment to the goblin who immediately took it and started to read. A few seconds later, the goblin was cursing in his own tongue that Harry instinctively knew didn't sound complimentary.

"What in the world? How could this be?" Griphook said with a snarl.

"Please explain, Griphook. We both want know why I had blocks on me so please start from the beginning and we will work our way from there." Harry said calmly but the coldness in his voice revealed how angry he was.

"Indeed. We will get to that when I'm done. Let me start at the beginning. Aside from being a Potter, it would seem that you are also an Evans."

"Is that significant?" Harry asked. "My mother was an Evans, after all."

"Not as much as being a Potter. The Evans is a minor wizarding family that migrated to Britain a few centuries back from the colonies. The family started producing squibs all of a sudden and your mother was the last magical of the family. The Evans family has a vault here in Gringotts and it has been untouched ever since, gathering dust and interest since we couldn't use it to invest without proper authorization. Your mother didn't approach us to take the test so we weren't able to determine her ancestry."

"What are inside the Evans Vault or the Potter Vault for that matter?" asked Harry, curiously. The anger he felt subsiding a bit.

"Let me check since we needed to discuss that as well." said Griphook as he pressed a button on his table. A few seconds later, a goblin teller entered the room with a bow. "Get me the Evans ledger and be quick about it."

The goblin bowed before leaving the room and returned a few minutes later bearing a ledger with 'Evans Family' on its cover. The goblin placed the ledger on the table and left without a word.

Griphook snapped his fingers causing a large black ledger, twice the size of the Evans ledger to appear on his desk. This one had Potter Family on the cover.

He took a crystal from his drawer and placed it on top of the Potter ledger. It glowed before dying down. The same thing happened when he placed the crystal on top of the Evans ledger. When that was done, Griphook then took out a parchment and placed the crystal on top of it. It glowed as a bunch of letters and numbers started appearing on its face.

When it was done, Griphook glanced at it for a bit and nodded before handing the parchment to Harry who took it with a curious look on his face.

_**Potter Family Vault**_

_**Current Owner: Harry James Potter**_

_**Current Heir: None**_

_**Monetary assets: 265,900,323 Galleons.**_

_**Heirlooms: Books, gems, armors, and weapons. (Check ledger for list)**_

_**Means of Access: Potter Lord Ring (family-only access)**_

_**Investments: (Check ledger for list)**_

_**Transactions: (Check ledger for list of transactions)**_

_**Properties:**_

_*** Potter Manor (under Fidelius, requires Lord Ring to access – portkey)**_

_***Potter Cottage (needs repair, formerly under Fidelius cast by Albus Dumbledore)**_

_***Lily's Haven (Washington State, United States of America)**_

_***Prong's Hideout (Hawaii)**_

_**Potter Trust Vault**_

_**Designated Owner: Harry James Potter**_

_**Monetary Asset: 50,000 Galleons (to be refilled every year from the Potter Family Vault)**_

_**Authorized Access: Albus Dumbledore (magical guardian), Petunia Dursley (muggle guardian)**_

_**Transactions: (Check ledger for list of transactions)**_

_**Evans Family Vault**_

_**Current Owner: Harry James Potter**_

_**Monetary Asset: 1,360,221 Galleons**_

_**Heirlooms: Books and gems (Check ledger for list)**_

_**Means of Access: Blood and Magical signature (family-only access)**_

_**Investments: (Check ledger for list – liquidated)**_

_**Transactions: (Check ledger for list of transactions)**_

_**Properties:**_

_***Evans Shire Manor (Wolverhampton)**_

_***Evans Farm (Wolverhampton)**_

Harry raised an eyebrow and whistled when he saw the amount of money he had under his disposal. He knew that his family was rich but he didn't know that extent of his wealth. He looked at Griphook who was giving him a grin, showing quite a lot of sharp teeth in the process.

"I hope you find everything to your satisfaction, Harry?" Griphook said. Harry merely nodded, dumbfounded at the wealth he now owned.

"So, can I have access to the ledgers so I can peruse them at my leisure?" Harry asked after a few seconds to regain his lost composure. He really wanted to know what those vaults contain, especially the books.

"Indeed. I will send you a copy tomorrow after I update all the accounts and your investments."

"How will you send it to me?" Harry asked with curiously. He didn't know what wizards and witches used as couriers.

"By owl." Griphook deadpanned causing Harry to shoot him an incredulous look. "The magical world use post owls to send letters and packages all over the world, Harry. If you have the time, I suggest that you buy one in Diagon Alley so you can send messages to me so you wouldn't have to come here personally just to ask me something?"

"An owl?" Harry asked.

"Yes, an owl." Griphook answered with an absolutely straight face.

"Fine." Harry said with a sigh, deciding to drop the subject since he already decided to learn whatever he could from the books he planned to buy after his discussion with Griphook. "Can we continue where we left off?"

"Certainly," said Griphook as he picked up the parchment containing Harry's magical test. "To continue where we left off, I don't think I need to discuss your lordship anymore. Let's skip to the next part. Your magical rank states that you have Mage potential and Sorcerer Adept. The latter is easily explained due to your mastery over your unique magic. It says here that you have the potential to become a Mage if your magical growth is not stopped or diminished."

"There's a hierarchy?"

"Yes. Imagine this. At the lowest of the low are the muggles, or non-magical as you coined them, ordinary humans without a shred of magical potential in their veins. The next on the tier are the Squibs. These are individuals who have small amounts of magic in their bodies, not much to cast spells, but enough to activate enchantments and use the many forms of wizarding travel. Stronger Squibs can even do some potions that requires a bit of magic to properly make." Griphook paused a bit to bring out a drink. He poured a healthy portion on a conjured goblet before taking a long draw.

Harry quirked an eyebrow at the fiery beverage but said nothing, waiting for the goblin manager to refresh himself.

"Now," Griphook continued. "The next is your average Witch and Wizard, able to use a wand and do spells. At the very top of the hierarchy is the Mage, the most powerful of the bunch according to the magical index.

"So my magical index is 425. Can you describe its relevance to me?"

"Easily. A non-magical, obviously, have 0 in their magical index; 1 to 50 are the Squibs; 51 to 900 are witches and wizards; and finally, 901 to 1000 are classed as Mages. Your current magical index, considering that you haven't reached the age of 11 where your magic is at its most stable form, is 425, meaning that you're already a powerful wizard for a 9 year old. You can take the test again when you reach your 11th birthday to determine the lowest point of your magical maturity which should peak when you reach your magical inheritance at age 17. Considering that you have a potential to become a Mage, it is quite possible to reach 1000 if you continue to practice magic and learn everything you can of its working."

"I see. Thanks for explaining it to me, Griphook." Harry said with a nod, clearly understanding where he stood in the magical hierarchy of the Wizarding World.

"No need for thanks, Harry. I am glad to explain it to you and its quite refreshing to meet a 9 year old that is a lot smarter than the…adults." The goblin said this with a grimace. "Shall we continue? We will discuss your magical potential, the areas in which your magic is at its strongest."

"Please." Harry said with an excited nod making the goblin give him a smirk. No matter how mature and intelligent the young Potter Lord was, he was still a 9 year old at heart. He realized that they were discussing for a solid hour and he didn't offer anything to the boy

"Can I interest you in some refreshments?" Griphook asked immediately.

"No, thank you. I'm not thirsty." Harry said with a smile. "I don't really eat that much these days and I can get something later when I explore the alley."

"If you wish. Let's proceed then so you will have more time to look around. Magical potential means the areas of magic where you will find easy to master or learn. In this case, your magical potential states that your interest lies in Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, and Mind Magic. Do you want me to explain each field or will you research these topics on your own?"

"I think I'll shop for relevant books later." said Harry before a thought occurred to him. "You mentioned that the Potter Family Vault contains books as part of the family heirlooms?"

"Indeed. From the last update, there were five hundred twenty-seven books on most magical subjects. Why do you ask?"

"Can you mail the relevant books to me later, those that explains the magical potential I possess so I can read them for the summer?"

"I can. I will send it to you tomorrow along with the ledgers."

"Thank you, Griphook." said Harry with a smile. "You make things easier for me."

"Good. It is my job to make sure that my client's issues are addressed." Griphook said, puffing out his chest a bit. "Now, it is interesting to note that the last three of your magical potential is a rarity in the magical world. Shapeshifters are witches and wizards with the capability to shift to any forms, be it animal or change their physical attributes as a form of disguise."

"You mean I can change to an animal or my physical features?" asked Harry in surprise. That was a nifty talent to have though he read something similar about Sorcery.

"Yes, Shapeshifters are quite rare and valued because this talent incorporates two magical abilities – Animagus, the ability to change to an innate animal form though they are limited to one animal only unlike you who can shift to ANY animal you wish; and Metamorphomagus, the ability to change your physical body, allowing you to change your physical attributes to disguise yourself or to pretend to be someone else. Quite useful abilities if you ask me."

"Nice…I can't wait to achieve that." Harry exclaimed with a goofy grin on his face, already thinking how useful the talent would be for his goals.

"Indeed. I suggest that you purchase a book on Animagus and Metamorphomagus since your ability lies in those areas." Griphook suggested to which Harry nodded eagerly. "Next, is a curious one - Parseltongue, the ability to the language of snakes. Have you tried this ability?"

"Yes I did. It was a few years ago when I had a conversation with an ordinary garden snake. It was…insightful to say the least."

"Ah, then I suggest that you keep this talent a secret considering the last wizard who displayed this ability." The goblin said with a grim look on his face which Harry immediately noticed.

"Oh? Who was it?" the young Potter Lord asked curiously.

"The last parseltongue was the wizard who gave you your scar. Lord Voldemort."Griphook revealed with a growl, surprising Harry with this new revelation.

"Don't tell me that I acquired this ability from that snake-faced bugger?" Harry asked incredulously.

"Well, according to the parchment, you acquired this from someone else. Considering that it was Voldemort who attacked you when you were still in diapers, I daresay that something happened that night that gave you that ability."

"Great. Considering it is a well-known fact that Voldemort is a parseltongue then it only stands to reason that I hide this ability, correct?" Harry said sarcastically. Griphook nodded in affirmative.

"You are quite perceptive for someone your age."

"Thank you, I think." Harry said with a raised eyebrow.

"It was a compliment." Griphook pointed out.

"I know." Harry said with a nod.

"Moving on." Griphook said with a sigh.

"Please." Harry said with a cheeky grin. Griphook gave him a mock-glare before continuing.

"Wandless Magic, the ability to cast spells without the use of a focus. I think that's explainable enough."

"Is this similar to how I utilize Sorcery?" Harry asked curiously, wondering what the schematics were in casting spells wandlessly and if it was similar to how he utilized Sorcery.

"In a way both are similar and in some ways they are different. I suggest you buy a book to read more on this subject or I can check your family vault to see if your ancestors have a book on that in stock."

"Please." Harry said in agreement before his face turned grim. "Anything else before we discuss the blocks placed on me?"

"I think we covered everything though I think it would be best if I say early that your focus would either be that of a wand or a staff or possibly both." said Griphook. Seeing the question in Harry's face, he decided to explain. "A witch or a wizard requires a magical focus to channel their magical power. The most common focus is a wand made from wood containing a part of a magical animal, a feather, a heartstring, venom, and so on. The wand acts as a buffer and an amplifier, ensuring that the witch or wizard is channeling the barest minimum of magic for spells and uses the ambient magic to lend the necessary power to avoid taxing the caster's core. The more magic they push into the wand, the more powerful the spells. Same can also be said for staves but a staff is more powerful than that of a wand since it contains two or more cores, giving it the capability to channel more power."

"I see, so this means that I need to get a wand or a staff when I go shopping later?"

"Hm, that would be wise but I suggest that you stick with wandless magic first. It is a well-known fact that a witch or wizard becomes attached to a focus that they lose the ability to cast spells wandlessly. Familiarize yourself with casting spells without a wand and work your way from there. Besides, you need a wand when you get to Hogwarts so shopping for one this early is moot point." Griphook advised. Harry thought about it for a few seconds before agreeing with the goblin. He didn't want to become too dependent on a focus, especially now that he had the ability to do magic without needing one.

"Now, there were three blocks placed on you. Two of them were removed while the one left is partially removed. The first block listed is the Sorcerer's Block; I daresay that you had a hand in its removal?" Griphook asked, giving Harry a pointed look.

"Yes, my mother informed me in her letter that she and a friend of hers placed a block on me so I wouldn't hurt myself by accidentally using Sorcery. She mentioned that I used it a couple of times when I was a baby. I guess you can say they took precautions and leave it at that. I removed the block last year when they provided me with a key of sorts to get it out of my system."

"Good. Now the Mental Block is used to stop any forms of Mind Magic from being performed. This includes Occlumency, the art of shielding one's mind from intrusions; and Legilimency, the art of reading another's mind. If these blocks were in place then your mental powers would have been stunted."

"The question is how it was removed?" asked Harry. Griphook thought about it for a few minutes before answering.

"I daresay that the block was removed the same time your Sorcerer's Block was. Since Sorcery is deeply rooted in the mind, it only stands to reason that the Mental Block was removed as well. I don't have any other explanation as plausible as that."

"You have a point there." Harry agreed. "How about the Magic Block? It says that it is active and blocking most of my magical powers."

"In most cases, a magic block is placed on a child to stop accidentally magic, which mostly happens when the child is subjected to stress, causing their magic to lash out. If your parents did place the block on you then we can safely say that its removal was delayed since they are no longer around. However, if someone, other than your parents, placed the block then they did it on purpose. Besides, the magic block used by parents on their child should only stop accidental magic from happening. The block you have right now is actively stopping all magic, leaving the barest minimum to power your core. The rest are either locked away or being used for another purpose."

"Another purpose?" Harry said coldly. He didn't like the idea of someone using his magic without his permission.

"For example, a witch or wizard could create a ward that protects his or her home. The ward may be tweaked to use the caster's power to sustain it, though this will end up portioning their cores – one portion they use actively while the other portion would be partitioned off to power the ward. I'm not sure if this is the case for you but it is a theory that needed to be looked at." Griphook said grimly.

"Is there a way for the block to be removed?" Harry asked immediately.

"Two ways. You can either go to St. Mungo, a Wizarding Hospital, to have a Master Healer remove the block or you can pay for a Goblin Healer to get the job done."

"I think I'll hire a Goblin Healer to help me with this problem, Griphook. At what I discovered, I trust goblins more than humans as it is. When can we get this done?"

"If you can postpone your trip to the alley then we can have it done now. While you're at it, I suggest you have the healer check you for other health problems so it can be corrected before it pose a problem."

Harry nodded immediately and both haggled for the price of the treatment.

* * *

**End of chapter 3**

**Please leave a comment or a review.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Belgariad**

**Chapter 4: A Boy and his Magic**

Harry left Gringotts with a smile on his face. He felt like a new man, or boy, after the treatment.

The Goblin Healer immediately removed the Magic Block in his core causing Harry to feel a surge of power course through his body. He had a feeling that his magic was quite happy for being released after all these years of being restricted. It was a feeling he would never forget and vowed to use it as soon as he was able.

When the block was lifted, the Goblin Healer immediately ran a test to discover health-related problems that needed correcting. His eyes needed to be fixed, as well as the malnutrition that he was suffering from thanks to the Dursley's tender loving care. There was also something weird about his scar that the healer wanted to have a closer look at since the readings she got from it was giving her problems.

His eyes were an easy fix, all it needed was a single potion that corrected any irregularities that impaired his vision. He asked the Goblin Healer why the wizarding public didn't make use of this service since Harry noticed that quite a few of them were wearing glasses. The healer merely huffed and informed him that they don't trust goblins enough to tamper with their health.

Harry had to shake his head. The Wizarding World was stupid. Why not respect and trust the very beings that safeguard their wealth? If the goblins rebel and hide themselves from the world then the economy would be destroyed.

The Goblin Healer informed him that there was a binding treaty in place to ensure that there would be no rebellions from the goblins; but despite this safety measure, the wizarding population still eyed them with distrust.

The next treatment he was subjected to was for his malnutrition. This wasn't an easy fix and needed a month of potions regime to counteract. The Goblin Healer promised him that she would send him a month's dose of the required potion the next day. Harry immediately authorized the payment for the potions since he really wanted to get his health back on track. He really hated it when his two best friends pointed out that he was the shortest in the bunch, even among his age group.

The healer also suggested that he acquire a house elf, a magical servant of sorts, to make his meals since the potions wouldn't be effective if he didn't get plenty of healthy food to eat. The Goblin Healer recommended him to a shop in Knockturn Alley where a house elf may be procured, to which Harry thanked her profusely causing her to look at him in shock.

It was there that Harry noticed that goblins, as a race, weren't used to being shown respect by the wizarding public. He vowed to treat the goblins better after that and try to let others follow his actions to give the little beings their due.

His scar was an eye-opener. After running a thorough check on it, the Goblin Healer informed him that there was a soul inhabiting in his scar. It was weak, as if something was stopping it from possessing its host, and could be easily removed using a minor cleansing ritual that the goblins used on their Curse Breakers in case they were hexed silly during one of their projects.

Harry immediately agreed to the ritual and blushed like a virgin when the Goblin Healer commanded him to strip naked. Blushing as he stood in the middle of the rune circle, three Goblin Sages activated the ritual and Harry could feel a sort of pressure in his head. A few minutes later, he heard a loud wail originating from a black smoke that came out of his scar before being snuffed out like a light from a candle.

The only drawback to that ritual was the migraine, which was easily remedied when the healer instructed him to down the potion she offered. When the throbbing in his head disappeared, Harry could feel the difference. His head felt clearer and he could sense that his brainpower just bumped up a notch. He vowed to check it out later when he got the chance.

Another side-effect to that ritual was his scar disappearing. His forehead was now unblemished and he couldn't be happier since his scar got a lot of unwanted attention in both worlds.

His treatment finished, Harry was ushered back to Griphook's office where the duo finalize everything about the Potter and Evans finances. Harry was issued an enchanted wallet he could use to withdraw muggle and wizarding money. After a brief lesson on Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts, Harry was also given a Debit Card of sorts that was linked to the family vault for large purchases in both worlds.

Harry thanked Griphook for that since the card would make it easy for him to push through with his plans in the muggle world, shopping for clothes being one of them.

Since it was his first time in Diagon Alley, Harry asked Griphook for advice on what he should shop first. Armed with a list, Harry exited the bank and went to his first destination of the day.

He wasn't afraid of being recognized when Griphook informed him of his stature in the Wizarding World, him being the Boy-Who-Lived and all. Since he no longer had the scar and no longer wearing glasses, he wouldn't be recognized as the survivor of the Killing Curse anymore. The styling gel that Bridgette gave him came in handy since his hair no longer looked like a messy mop, but brushed to the back giving him an aristocratic look. He made a point to grow his hair a bit, maybe up to his shoulders, to complete the look he was aiming for.

Because of these changes in his appearance, he was no longer a carbon copy of his dad. For those who saw him, he was just an ordinary wizarding child with green eyes in a shopping trip, not Harry James Potter, Boy-Who-Lived. Fun!

The first stop was a travel shop where he was supposed to buy an enchanted bag and a trunk, both containing charms and enchantments giving them a much larger storage space. The trunk was needed for the clothes he planned to buy and the bag was for books and other items.

He bought an enchanted backpack with a feather-light charm so no matter how many items he placed inside, it would still weigh like an empty backpack.

The trunk he purchased had three compartments. He could have purchased the ones with more compartments (the latest model had nine) but he didn't want to waste money buying something he didn't need. The trunk was enchanted to be feather-light, an auto-shrinking and enlarging feature, durability and proofing charms, as well as a blood lock as an added security feature to make sure that only he could open it.

However, the trunk contained two features that would be perfect for his studies.

The first compartment was an expanded wardrobe to accommodate all the clothes he planned to purchase. This was the mundane use of the trunk.

The second compartment was a potions laboratory with all the needed supplies to brew any potion he wished, minus the potions ingredients, of course. All the tools he needed were provided for, from cauldrons to scales, stirring rods to cutting tools, and a set of dragon-hide gloves to protect his hands when handling volatile and acidic substances. He had to pay extra for an enchanted storage cabinet to be placed inside for the potion ingredients he planned to acquire during the course of his shopping trip.

The third compartment was a warded space, the size of the attic in the Dursley home to be used for testing spells and other magical endeavors. The shopkeeper assured him that no magic from the inside would leak outside.

How was a 9 year old able to acquire these things? Easy, money and a convenient use of telepathy. He simply removed the doubt from the shopkeepers mind making him open to his request. It was like the Jedi Mind Trick (it practically was since that was where he got the idea when he saw the movie for the first time).

Harry exited the shop with the backpack slung over his shoulders and his trunk conveniently shrunk inside his pocket.

His next stop was Madam Malkins, a shop that specialized in wizarding apparel. He didn't want to buy muggle clothes in the magical section since the style they had in stock were clearly from the 80's. He wanted to blend in, not become a social pariah back in the muggle world.

After getting measured and picking out the colors and materials for his wizarding robes (mostly blue, black, and green with some red on the side to spice things up), he left the shop with a promise to pick up his purchases two hours later. He, however, bought one of the ready-made ones since he needed to blend in with the rest of the magical. He also purchased a cloak with a hood since he would be venturing into Knockturn Alley, which Griphook warned him that it was full of seedy characters.

Harry wasn't afraid of venturing into the infamous alley since he knew he could take care of himself. Sorcery was just convenient that way.

After Madam Malkins, his next stop was the bookstore. He bought a total of 50 books for summer reading, topics included Transfiguration, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Wizarding History, Potions, Herbology, and Wizarding Customs and Etiquette. He purchased the last one because he wanted to know _how_ to act like a wizard and not look like a fool when confronted by one.

After paying for the books and storing them inside his trunk, he left the bookstore and went directly to the apothecary for his potion supplies. When he got there, he immediately commandeered the man on the counter to get him every single potion ingredients he had in stock. The man was skeptical at first but changed his mind when Harry showed him his Gringotts card, a clear sign that he was filthy rich considering only high-end clients only had such card.

It took two hours to compile and store every single items inside the lab in his trunk. He left the shop but not before telling the man that he would be sending him a note soon to keep him updated if there were any new ingredients he had on stock that he might be interested in and to expect further orders in the future.

Of course, the man immediately agreed since he netted almost half a million galleon from a single customer in a span of two hours.

Since the writing supplies store was beside the apothecary, he went there next. He had to shake his head when he saw that there weren't any pens sold in the shop, all of them were quills, inks, and parchments. He didn't bother to buy them since he wouldn't be starting Hogwarts as of yet and carrying quills and parchments with him in the muggle world would just make people look at him as if he was crazy.

He did, however, got a set of parchments and envelopes for wizarding missives and a dozen notebooks that would never run out of paper to write on. It would keep refilling itself until such a time it was too big to carry or read from. He bought a dozen since he wanted one notebook for each topic he planned to study and keep notes from. It was not a good idea to use one notebook for ALL the subjects he plan to tackle. It was more convenient to have one for each.

He made a mental note to acquire some calligraphy pens in the muggle world and possibly have them enchanted to never run out of ink.

His last stop in Diagon Alley was the pet store. Griphook informed him that he needed an owl for posts. He had to grimace when the shopkeeper showed him the owls they had for sale. They were either too small, too big, or too ugly to even purchase.

However, his newly-corrected eyes spotted a white owl sitting primly on its cage at the back of the section. When he asked why he wasn't shown the owl, the shopkeeper informed him that it was a rare breed of Snowy Owl and those who wanted to purchase the animal was either pecked or clawed away.

Ignoring the man, Harry walked over to the owl and immediately look into its eyes. He could sense an intelligence there that the other owls didn't have. This was no ordinary owl.

Of course, the Snowy Owl stared at him as well, as if it was studying him. It was a few minutes of staring that the owl finally gave a soft hoot in which Harry smiled and pushed a finger into the cage where the owl gave it a nibble, signifying that it wanted to be bought by its new master.

The shopkeeper was flabbergasted when Harry opened the cage before he could stop him. The Snowy Owl flew out from the cage, took a few rounds around the shop before settling down on Harry's shoulder and gave him a few nips and nibbles on the ear.

Since Harry liked the owl, he told the shopkeeper that he would take her, she was a her as far as Harry could tell, and to get everything an owl would need for her to enjoy.

A few minutes later, Harry exited the shop with a very happy Hedwig (he gave her the name after seeing it in one of the books he browsed through in the bookstore in which his owl approved with a happy hoot) on his shoulder. Hedwig's supplies was in his trunk – a perch (he didn't want to cage such a beautiful bird), an unlimited supply of owl treats (he paid for 10 years worth of owl treats in advance), and an odd ring that would be attached to Hedwig's leg that had a sharp nail at the end, giving her an additional firepower during deliveries just in case she was attacked (Hedwig flew over to the shelf which held the accessory and hooting at him to buy one).

Harry pulled on his hood before entering Knockturn Alley. Griphook was correct in saying that it was home to many seedy characters. He could see a lot of shifty-eyed people staring at him hungrily as if he was ripe for the picking, hags selling disgusting items on the side streets with their grating voice. Since he didn't want to be hampered, Harry cloaked himself with his Will– a combination of using telepathy and intent – pushing out the feeling that he was dangerous and they should stay away.

It was safe to say that it worked since the occupants of Knockturn immediately averted their eyes and ignored him. Some even went to the point of running away after giving him fearful looks.

It didn't take long for Harry to arrive at the shop where Griphook told him about that sold house elves after a prompting from the Goblin Healer. It was half an hour later that he struck a deal to purchase a young female elf by the name of Floppy.

Since she didn't know where Privet Drive was (she could teleport there using the house elf version of it if she was there once and if her master was around), Harry told her to accompany him as he went on his shopping trip which the elf immediately agreed to do. He did, however, tasked the elf to purchase decent clothes, which he later amended as a uniform, since the shopkeeper told him that clothes meant freedom for the little buggers. Freedom that they didn't like.

After getting the elf a uniform – a French maid outfit which the elf picked for herself that made Harry roll his eyes when he saw it – the trio (Harry, Hedwig, and Floppy) went to the Leaky Cauldron to get a bite to eat. There, Harry interviewed Floppy about house elves in general.

Harry learned that house elves needed to bond with a magical family in order to replenish their magic. If they were free then they wouldn't have a source of magic and would later run out and die. Some even go crazy because of the lack of magic in their system.

Harry realized that it was a symbiotic relationship. The witch or wizard would have the servitude of the elf while the elf would gain magical nourishment from their masters. It was a give-and-take relationship that Harry definitely liked since he didn't like turning Floppy into a slave like how he was treated by the Dursleys.

As they ate (Harry bought a sandwich for him and Floppy while ordering bacon for Hedwig), Harry instructed Floppy on her task. Her task was to make sure that he had the right food to eat. Since he didn't have a kitchen, Floppy would commandeer one section of the attic and turn it into a magical kitchen. It was a safe decision since the Dursley never venture into the attic if they could help it. Also, Floppy assured him that she could ward the place so they wouldn't notice her taking residence there.

There she would store all the ingredients she needed for food and cook it. Money wasn't a problem since Floppy, as his personal elf, could just go to Gringotts and take the money out of his vaults for supplies.

When he described to her his room, Floppy had a shocked look on her face and told him that she will be renovating his room when they get there.

Harry could only nod at her since she didn't want to get on her bad side. House elves were very loyal to their masters and would go to extreme lengths to make sure that their masters were taken care of. He shuddered the thought of what the elf would do if he refused since they were experts in finding loopholes from their master's orders.

Since Floppy revealed that she could turn herself invisible (one of the house elves' many talents), he asked her to accompany him to the muggle world for clothes shopping. After asking Hedwig if she could find him later, getting a positive bark from the owl, he instructed her to go for a fly and to find him later in the evening. She flew to explore but not before giving his ear a loving nibble.

With that, Harry teleported out of the dark alley near the Leaky Cauldron to the shopping mall William and Bridgette frequented with Floppy following him with a loud pop, invisible to the eyes of the muggles.

* * *

It was a month later that Harry was finally content with his life. Thanks to the money he inherited from his parents, he had everything he needed as befitting his station.

The room had a complete makeover thanks to the tireless effort of his personal house elf and friend. The room was enlarged to thrice its original size and his rickety bed was transfigured into a four-poster queen-size monstrosity that was very comfortable. He now had a wardrobe and shelves for his books with his trunk carefully tucked safely at the bottom to get it out of the way when not needed.

Floppy even went to the point of adding a study area in one corner of the room when he noticed Harry on the bed reading his books.

Not all the items in his room were magical though since Harry was adamant to continue his muggle education even if it killed him.

He purchased a high-end laptop and a desktop computer so he could search for information on the Internet when he got bored in studying magic. He also purchased a television and an entertainment console so he could watch the telly whenever he wanted to and enjoy himself playing a few games to relax.

After a suggestion from Floppy, he purchased an enchanted ice box from a shop in Diagon Alley that contained quite a lot of wizarding beverages and snacks that he would enjoy if he felt the need for sugar. His favorite was Butterbeer and had dozens of them inside the box.

To avoid the Dursleys barging into his domain, he asked Floppy to put up a ward of sorts so the Dursleys wouldn't be snooping inside his room. It was a good idea too since it was a day later that Harry picked up a stray thought from Dudley and Vernon while eating their dinner to 'check out' his room since they noticed that he was wearing expensive clothes.

Speaking of Internet, Harry was thankful that he found a solution to this problem. Since he didn't want the Dursleys to know that he had access to such money, he bought a machine that acted as a waypoint to get an Internet Connection to his gadgets. It was the latest technology on wireless computing. Like a mobile phone, the machine could receive and send data packets to a server, which would in turn, allow him access to the Internet. He subscribed for a two years worth of Internet access and that solved the problem.

To that idea, he also purchased a mobile phone. It was quite useful since he spent quite a lot of time in a conference call with William and Bridgette. Both were out of the country for the summer after their brief trip to the Lee Family Vineyard a few weeks back where William got drunk with all the wine he could…taste.

In terms of muggle education, he found his niche in Computer Programming and Engineering so he enrolled himself in an online college program where he would receive his education via videos and conference calls. He could just send his tests and projects via email and the results would be mailed back to him the same way. It was convenient for someone like him and the colleges he enrolled at didn't put up a fuss since he was a well-known prodigy in the muggle world.

He didn't immerse himself completely in muggle education during the first month after his meeting at Gringotts. He devoured the books on different magical subjects like a starved man to food. He made a special point to stick to his strong points and made his way from there.

Reading Wizarding History opened his eyes to the stupidity of the Wizarding World. Sure, it was a good idea to close your borders from potential enemies but it wasn't a good idea to not knowing what they were up to. Heck, the book contained information on muggle advancement in the 60's, not realizing that they were already in the 90's where technology was steadily on the rise.

Harry had to make a concession since magic didn't work well with technology, the magical world completely ignored it. Harry tested this piece of knowledge by channeling a bit of magic to Dudley's gaming console and it blew up spectacularly (the Dursley didn't know what happened and couldn't blame Harry about it since the game console was locked inside Dudley's cabinet in his room). He decided to learn more about magic since he wanted to enchant his gadgets to work with magic, not against it.

To this effect, he owl ordered a book on Ancient Runes and Arithmancy from the bookstore in Diagon Alley after an advice from Griphook.

Unlike the Wizarding World, the goblins realized that magic worked against muggle technology so their experts worked around the problem. It was discovered that runes had the capability to offset magical discharges that made technology blow up. To that effect, the goblins discovered that electricity worked against magic, not the machine itself. By converting any magic that came near the machine into electricity, it was safe to say that the machine wouldn't be blowing up anytime soon.

This spurned his studies into Ancient Runes, with Arithmancy on the side since it was a necessary subject to create and understand spells better.

A month later and a few correspondence with Griphook, Harry was able to come up with a rune set that literally used the ambient magic in the air to be converted into electricity.

After a few small gadgets blowing up in his face during experiments (mostly cheap radios he purchased from a thrift shop in Magnolia Street), he was able to perfect his project and applied it on the power supply of his laptop. He wouldn't have to worry about electricity problems since ALL of his machines now had a rune set that converts magic in the air into electricity.

As a side-effect, any magic aimed at the object would be absorbed by the rune set and slowly converted into electricity, making them immune to its effects. It wasn't a fool-proof solution but it was the best he could come up with.

His magical aptitude was growing in leaps and bounds as well. Thanks to a book on wandless magic that Griphook sent to him from his family vault, he learned that channeling magic without a focus requires more power to pull off. This was why wandless magic was not a popular subject in the Wizarding World, preferring to use a wand instead of learning magic without one.

Wandless magic was similar to Sorcery in a way that it requires intent and focus for it to work. The clincher was the requirement of having a direct access to his magical core in order to push the magic to do what he wanted in the outside world.

Such was the case, Harry had to delve into Occlumency since he needed to delve deep into his mindscape to find his magical core and found it he did. Harry's magical core was huge. It was a huge ball of energy with arcs of different colored lights surrounding the ball like a cocoon.

After discovering the source of his magic, Harry followed the exercise in the book on the subject to create a circuit of sorts all over his body so he could bring out the necessary energy from his core to do spells. It took two weeks to get this task done and he had no problem using magic from there, though he had to be careful since his first piece of magic, a Reparo spell, was so overpowered that it almost drained him.

Thankfully, he had some Pepper-Up potions that he personally brewed so he didn't pass out from exhaustion.

According to the book, magic was like muscle. The more you use it, the more it grows and strengthen. Such was the case, Harry practiced the spells he learned from the Transfiguration book, turning a match into a needle and vice versa, every day until he no longer had to worry about the drain. It also taught him control so he could bring out the necessary amount of magic and not overpower his spells.

When he got his control down, Harry went back to his father's book and started studying the Potter Family Spells.

The Potters were masters of wards and defensive magic so most of the spells there were of similar nature. There were wards to almost anything, from protection wards that could stop offensive spells to offensive wards that would fry an attacker to a crisp if they came into its reach with ill-intent. One of the wards he employed was a magic dampening ward that would stop anyone outside from detecting magic inside the boundary. It was like a shield of sorts. It was similar to the ones he had on his trunk but on a much larger scale.

After learning the spell, Harry immediately put it up with relish, happy that no wizard or witch would find out about his constant magic usage; which was a good idea too since the Ministry of Magic had a means to detect magic from underage witches and wizards; though Harry was quite confident that he wouldn't be detected since one, he didn't use a wand that was the main focus of their detection capability; two, he was mostly using Sorcery and wandless magic; and three, he kept to his trunk when doing magic. But it was better safe than sorry so he put up the ward just in case.

Potions was Harry's other favorite subject. He liked the idea of using his love for cooking to create various elixirs to cause different effects. He found that he had an aptitude in understanding the most complex instructions and practice them to perfection. He spent a month brewing different potions and stocking them just in case. He refrained from inventing potions, even if he was itching to do so, since he wasn't that knowledgeable in the art as of yet. He might do that AFTER graduating from Hogwarts when he completed the necessary education to achieve such a feat.

* * *

It was the last day of summer that Harry snorted after reading the book on Wizarding Customs and Etiquettes. It was a fun read, learning all about the how wizards interacted with each other and the various rules governing their lifestyle. However, he had to snort when he got to the section discriminating muggleborns and half-bloods.

According to the book, purebloods were witches and wizards born from two magical parents and a pureblood belonged to the upper echelons of the wizarding hierarchy.

From this point of view, he was technically a pureblood since his mother was technically a half-blood or pureblood witch considering that she came from a family of Squibs. But thanks to the asinine view of the purebloods in Wizarding Britain, his mom was labeled a muggleborn making him snort.

Half-bloods were born from a magical and non-magical parent. This was where the discrimination began. It didn't matter if one of your parents was a magical, as long as he or she was a muggleborn, then their child would be a half-blood. Stupid really.

The last was the muggleborn, a witch or wizard born with magic from two non-magical parents. Harry logical mind immediately came into a conclusion that there were no such thing as a muggleborn. Somewhere in a muggleborn's family tree, there should be a magical or a squib to provide the DNA to have magic.

Without it, then magic was nonexistent. He didn't bother with this since it would take a miracle for the wizarding public to change their views on muggleborns.

After reading the book from cover to cover, Harry's eyes strayed to the closet where his wizarding apparels were kept. If he wanted to be respected then he needed to make sure that his fellow classmates at Hogwarts view him as one of their own. He didn't need to pretend to be one since he was a Potter, a family of wizarding royalty.

He decided right there and then to learn the intricacies of Wizarding Etiquette. If he were to meet a pompous pureblood when he got to Hogwarts then he would know how to deal with them.

* * *

Harry rubbed at his tired eyes. He just finished reading the Potter Ledger and couldn't help but gape at the wealth his family had in spades.

It was quite obvious from his study of the ledger that the Potters weren't a discriminating family. They treated all walks of life the respect they deserved and he was proud of that fact. The Potters had investments in both wizarding and muggle worlds, attributing to the family's wealth.

He had to smirk when he saw that he owned quite a good amount of shares in notable muggle companies, like Samsung, Apple, Microsoft, Acer, IBM, and Hewlett-Packard. These were big names in the technological field and he couldn't help but be happy that he had ready access to technology if he needed it. Since he was a computer programmer and engineer, well, a student anyway, he was quite interested in how technology worked and his studies into combining technology and magic amplified such interest.

He decided to send a note to Griphook since he wanted to know the specifics of his involvement in these companies, as well as making sure that he was properly updated on the investments his family had in the Wizarding World.

After all, he was Lord Potter so it was only right that he knew everything about his family.

* * *

A 10 year old Harry grinned as he looked at himself in the mirror. Thanks to Floppy and the potion regime he was subjected into to counter the effects of malnutrition, he was now a healthy young man.

He grew a few inches, putting him at a respectable height of 4'2 and putting his weight slightly above his age group at 80 pounds.

He didn't worry about his weight because he subjected himself to a physical training program during the course of the treatment. He used a secluded portion of the attic to store the gym equipments he bought and warded the area accordingly to avoid detection by the Dursleys. Since was dealing with your average muggle family, he simply put up a Notice-Me-Not ward from the Potter Family grimoire to that effect.

Thanks to this, he was a lean, slightly muscular boy. He didn't aim to become a body builder but he likened his built to that of a swimmer or a runner. It was quite clear that he was built for speed though he had enough muscle strength to use if he needed to.

To compliment his physical training, Harry enrolled himself in a martial arts class specializing in Aikido. He wasn't an offensive fighter thanks to his build and Aikido was a defensive art that he definitely took a liking to.

Here he was now, looking at himself in the mirror, naked as the day he was born to try to see if his studies in being a metamorph would yield some fruits. He decided against turning into animals for now since he still wasn't prepared to undergo such a feat.

According to the book, a metamorph requires magical control and visualization in order to pull it off. Of course, he had both in spades thanks to his studies and experience.

Harry started his experiment by visualizing his hair to grow. It took an hour but he finally saw his hair slowly grow past his shoulders. Grinning, he pushed his magic into the visualization and saw his eyes turn from green to blue. Successful that his experiment paid off, he started to go further.

He increased his height and body mass, as well as concentrating to make himself age a bit more. Thanks to his studies in biology, he had no qualms altering his bone and muscle structure.

At the end of the experiment, the 10 year old boy was replaced by a man in his 20's, 5'10 in height and muscular. He experimented with it a bit more until he was satisfied that he could pass off as an adult. He had big plans for this persona of his and he needed to make sure that his disguise was full proof to pull it off.

It was half an hour later that James Evanson made an appearance with a grin on his face.

* * *

Harry spent the next five months after his 10th birthday touring the world. Thanks to his James Evanson disguise, he didn't have to worry about authorities deporting him back to Britain. Thankfully, Griphook took the disguise one-step further and used his connections in the muggle world to set up a different identity for Harry's alter ego.

Griphook made sure that James Evanson's identity was full-proof, able to pass any scrutiny outside magical means. He set up a muggle bank account containing 2,000,000 British Pounds, birth certificate, college degree, driver's license, passports…the works. Everything was created and registered in the muggle world much to Harry's happiness.

Because of this, Harry spent the next five months touring the world. Since money wasn't a problem, he booked himself in classy hotels and traveled first class.

* * *

His first month was spent in Egypt, immersing himself in the various archeological finds in the area. He toured the great pyramids and visited many bazaars, including the magical ones, buying souvenirs and quite a lot of books on Egyptian magic to add to his library.

The best find he had in Egypt was a compendium of Egyptian Runes. Unlike the runes used by Wizarding Britain, Egyptian runes were perfect for wards, especially the offensive kind. This was why a lot of budding Curse Breakers had their training in Egypt since the wards in the pyramids were too tough to crack.

If you want to be the best Curse Breaker in the business then Egypt was the best place to learn…if you didn't die from the attempt that is.

After finding the set, he immediately bought it since these runes would greatly compliment his knowledge of the various wards the Potter Family cooked up during their lifetime.

* * *

The second month of his trip was spent in Africa since it was a well-known fact that the continent coined as the Heart of Darkness hosted a cacophony of magical creatures in this side of the world. He had to find a tour guide willing enough to take him to various hotspots where magical creatures, like Nundus, frequented.

Thankfully, the guide he hired was knowledgeable of the creatures and he filled up one of his Ever-Filling notebooks with notes on the various magical animals they encountered.

Also, Africa was the best place to go if you're looking for rare potion ingredients, like Nundu breath and blood, African Viper Dragon scales and fangs, Lenthifold skins, and so on. He made a killing when he visited a bazaar in a settlement in the heart of Africa putting up a sale on various potion ingredients that would make a Potion Master drool with envy. He had to acquire another cabinet for his portable potion laboratory since the first one was quite full because of the new ingredients he purchased.

* * *

The third month was spent in two locations, spending two weeks in each to get the most out of the trip.

Harry spent his first two weeks in the Romanian Dragon Preserve to see the dragons up close and personal in a controlled environment. He discovered right there that Parseltongue extended to dragons and he happily conversed with the lot, asking them questions what being a dragon was all about and the likes.

Because of his status as a Snake Speaker, the dragons gifted him with dragon-based potion ingredients from bloods to scales, all willingly given, that was perfect for many power-increasing potions and elixirs. Again, the storage cabinet inside his potions laboratory was crammed to the brim because of it.

The second two weeks was spent in Bulgaria where he the famous wandmaker, Gregorovitch, was located. It was the best place to be to find rare tomes in making magical foci.

He found out from the many wandmakers in the area that wands and staves weren't the only magical foci used by witches and wizards. Some use gems, rings, jewelries, even bones from magical animals – though these were quite expensive which was why the magical public preferred wands.

As long as they knew how to manipulate the magic in these objects and inscribe them with the correct runes, they became powerful magical foci that anyone could use.

It was here in Bulgaria that he met a Wizarding Blacksmith that made him a focus ring. It was made from Mithril, a rare magically-conductive metal, with runes inscribe in its face to mimic a wand's capability. It was a bit expensive, costing him around 1,200 Galleons but it was worth it.

The first time Harry tried it out, his low-powered _Reducto_ destroyed a 6-foot tall boulder, turning it into dust, when he channeled his magic into the ring. If a wand could amplify a witch or wizard's magic then his _Mithril Ring_ he now wore amplified it some more. It was destructive to say the least and Harry vowed to only use it after he got some practice and control out of it.

* * *

The fourth month of his vacation he spent in Asia. Of course, he bought a lot of magical souvenirs and books from the many magical enclaves and settlements in the area but his purpose for visiting was to enjoy the many sights and sounds it offered. He liked the food so much that he bought a lot of cookbooks for Floppy to try out when he got back to Britain. He was so looking forward to eating genuine Chinese food, not those lousy take outs in downtown London.

There were two places in Asia where he got quite a magical experience from. The first was with the monks of Tibet where the helpful monks trained him for three days in honing his mental shields. Unlike Occlumency where the witch or wizard erected their own defense against intrusions, the monks of Tibet took it one step further.

This involved letting his subconscious mind take over in shaping the defense of his mind. Unlike the conscious mind, the subconscious was pure instinct. It could come up with the perfect defense for any scenario as long as you knew how to command it just right.

After three days, the monks were successful in teaching Harry how to achieve this feat. Harry resumed his journey without fear of anyone accessing his mind considering how protected it was now thanks to the ever friendly monks. As thanks, Harry gifted the monks with all the healing potions he had in his trunk, which was quite a lot, and they thanked him for it.

The next magical learning experience was in the Philippines after a helpful wizard in China told him that quite a lot of voodoo practitioners were holed up in there. He didn't waste any time and purchased a portkey from the nearest travel shop. He was whisked away to the second largest island in the Philippines, Mindanao.

There, he met a hermit deep in the mountains who was quite happy to have a visitor. The language barrier was easily remedied by a language spell he learned from the monks in Tibet so conversation wasn't a problem. The helpful hermit introduced him to the many magical creatures littering the dark forest of Mindanao.

He met a few supernatural creatures that weren't present in Britain.

First, Harry met a _Manananggal_, a woman with a supernatural ability to split her body to take flight using the large bat-like wings on her back while her lower half remained on the ground. It was fortunate for Harry that he was a wizard and a Sorcerer since the Manananggal chose to see him as dinner instead of a friend. One _Stupefy_ later, the supernatural cannibal was stunned on the ground.

The hermit was laughing himself silly seeing the hag stuck on the ground, which was rare in her transformed state.

Harry had to gape, however, when the hermit introduced him to a friend of his – an Asian equivalent of a centaur. However, instead of the usual centaur where they had human bodies except from the waist down, the _Tikabalang_ was a humanoid horse walking on its hind legs and its front legs were hands instead of hooves. He had to take a few pictures (with permission, of course) if he wanted to show it to those curious enough to see one since _Tikbalangs_ were rare and mostly kept to themselves.

He also met and befriended a few _Sigbins_, black grim-like dogs that was said to lure travelers to their deaths. One of the _Sigbins_ in a pumpkin patch he visited took a liking to him and both bonded as familiars. He gave the playful creature the name Zieg, since _Sigbin_ was a mouthful. The supernatural dog followed Harry wherever he went and the hermit taught him everything he knew of the beast.

According to the hermit, _Sigbins_ were friendly creatures but the locals tend to associate them with death. They often roam in packs and loved to sleep in a pumpkin patch or amidst charcoal, both of which were their favorite nourishment.

In terms of abilities, _Sigbins_ had the ability to remain invisible if they wanted to and could not be detected by any magical means. They can travel through the shadows to anywhere around the world. If bonded, _Sigbins_ would protect their masters by absorbing attacks using their shadow-like bodies or shadow traveling them out to a safe location.

In conclusion, Harry was glad that Zieg bonded to him.

* * *

Harry and Zieg went to America next after getting a tip from Griphook that there was a group of Technomancers in New York.

Technomancers were wizards and witches who dedicated their life to the study of magic and technology. It was in the city of New York that he met a group of Technomancers that specialized in enchanting muggle technology for added features. Unlike those in Britain that enchant muggle items to prank or cause trouble, Technomancers enchant these with a purpose – to make it work better and make life easier.

It was here that he let them enchant his laptop to have a permanent Internet Connection in exchange for his Magic-to-Electricity Rune Set that he happily traded. After half an hour of enchanting, his trustee laptop was faster, more durable, and had constant Internet access that would make a computer geek green with envy.

Since he had plenty of time to spare, Harry made a decision to visit sentient magical creatures in the continent to broaden his horizons.

He met a few vampires and werewolves, interviewing them about their lifestyle, habits, and powers. Fortunately, he met the friendly ones from the bunch so he didn't have to be worried about being their next meal.

It was during the last week of his vacation in America that he met a wandering Shaman who taught him how to shift into his animal forms. The shaman was a Shapeshifter like him but only the animal variety and instructed him in the art of being an animal shifter. Thanks to his exercise in Sorcery, Harry was able to grasp the concept in three days and spent the rest of the time trying out different animals to 'phase' into.

It was here that he discovered a limitation of his shifter ability. He could not phase into a magical animal, only muggle ones. This was quite evident when he tried to shift into a dragon only to fail. He gave up three hours later with the Shaman giving him an amused look.

* * *

**End of Chapter 4.**

**Please leave a comment or a review.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Belgariad.**

**Chapter 5: Discoveries, Letters, and Visits**

Harry was glaring at a cheap laptop he bought couple of months ago before leaving America. He was interested in the Technomancers' technique in applying a certain charm to give any computers the ability to magically connect to the Internet without the need for any hardware.

No matter how much he tried, he couldn't get the enchantment to stick to the infernal machine.

Sighing, Harry summoned the notebook where the Technomancer wrote down the steps for the spell. He read through the instructions but his eyes caught on to the postscript that he didn't bother to read when he tried the spell for the first time.

"_P.S.: In order for the spell to work, the caster must have a thorough Knowledge of how the Internet works and the schematics for providing connectivity to and from the machine. Without the knowledge, the enchantment wouldn't adhere to the machine no matter how much you try."_

Harry cursed himself for not bothering to read ALL the instructions before flopping down on the chair and decided to take a break. Since he needed the know-how for the enchantment to work then he was back to studying. He translocated his beloved laptop to his desk and turned it on.

Since he didn't have anything better to do, might as well get to studying.

* * *

It was two months before his 11th birthday when Harry received a letter from Griphook. A fierce looking owl entered his room from the window and dropped a letter on the table before winging over to Hedwig's perch. His beloved owl saw the visitor and moved a bit to the side of her perch to accommodate her guest.

Harry read the letter and raised an eyebrow at the short and direct message.

_Harry, _

_Something important just came up. Please come to my office as soon as possible. _

_Griphook_

Confused, Harry got out from his muggle clothes and into his wizarding ones. He was about to leave when Zieg appeared in front of him.

"Want to come with me, boy?" asked Harry with a raised eyebrow. Ever since he bonded with Zieg, he noticed a few peculiarities about his familiar. For starters, Zieg would know immediately if he was troubled or distressed. Also, his beloved familiar would know when he would be leaving the house, instantly appearing to accompany him wherever he wanted to go.

Zieg nodded his head before giving out an affirmative bark, his tail wagging happily behind him.

"I'm going to Gringotts. Want me to take you there or are you going to follow?" Harry asked while giving Zieg a scratch behind the ear. Zieg didn't say anything but took off into the nearest shadow and disappeared through it. Rolling his eyes, Harry visualized the front steps of Gringotts and disappeared from his room without a sound.

* * *

Harry materialized in front of the large doors of Gringotts. Zieg did the same though he came out of his master's shadow.

Patting the dog on the head, they entered the bank together, earning curious and awed looks from both goblins and humans in the area. Some of the goblins were even looking at the pure black dog in fear.

Of course, Zieg merely ignored the attention he was getting from the masses.

After informing the teller politely that Griphook was expecting him, he was led to his account manager's office and entered with a polite bow.

"Good morning, Griphook." greeted Harry, Zieg padding over to a patch of shadow and laid down without a sound. Griphook eyed the dog before giving the young Potter Lord a long look.

"Tell me, Harry, why do you have a Shadow Hound with you?"

"A Shadow Hound? Is that what Zieg is called?" asked Harry curiously, giving his napping familiar a glance.

"Yes, a Shadow Hound, the guardian of the Shadow Realm. How in the nine levels of hell did you get one?"

"Uh, he kind of bonded to me as a familiar when I visited an old hermit in the Philippines. Zieg here wanted to be my familiar so I accepted. Why? Is it a bad thing?" Harry asked worriedly. Zieg released a loud snort though his eyes were still closed.

"Bad? My goodness, Harry, a Shadow Hound is the best familiar around. Not only are they powerful, they are also quite useful. Shadow Hounds are loyal to a fault and will do anything to protect their master. You are very fortunate to have a guardian, and a powerful one at that." Griphook said with a grin.

"Well, he is more than a familiar. He is my friend." Harry said with a smile before taking a seat. "So, what seems to be the problem that you require my presence so urgently?"

"I just received a missive today from Albus Dumbledore. It pertains to you directly." Griphook informed him with a grim look on his face.

"Oh? What does it say?" Harry asked, curious about what his former magical guardian was up to.

Griphook didn't say anything but pulled out a rolled parchment from his desk drawer. He handed it to Harry who took it.

Curious, he unrolled the parchment and started to read, his eyes bugging out all the while.

"WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THIS? WHO IN BLAZES IS GINERVA WEASLEY?" shouted Harry causing Zieg to look up and growl that scared Griphook a bit.

"That is a Betrothal Contract, Harry." said Griphook while nervously eyeing the now-awake Shadow Hound in the room. "From the looks of it, Albus Dumbledore made this contract with the permission of Molly Weasley betrothing you to her daughter, Ginerva Weasley. It said in the contract that both of you will be wed when you reach marriageable age, when you reach 18 and Ginerva at 17."

"Is this even legal?" Harry asked incredulously as he waved the offending document. Betrothals were a thing of the past. He knew that the Wizarding World was living in the dark ages but he didn't know it was this bad. Betrothal indeed, the nerve of that man.

"Considering that you're already Lord Potter, you have the right to void the contract. Besides, with you being emancipated, Albus Dumbledore is no longer your legal guardian. Meaning, he can't put you in any contract without your permission." Griphook said slyly.

"Damn right he can't" Harry fumed before setting the document on fire with a burst of his Will. "Since he can't do anything about it and the contract is void, I say we ignore the old coot. Besides, it is better that he doesn't know the contract is voided so we can keep an eye on him. The question is why is he setting up a betrothal without me knowing about it?"

"That we don't know. If you really want to know then you might want to ask him directly when you get to Hogwarts in a few months time. Speaking of which, are you sure you're going to accept the letter considering Dumbledore is the current Headmaster?"

"I'm sure." Harry nodded grimly. "I want to see the school where my parents graduated from. I'll accept my enrollment into Hogwarts but if I don't find it to my liking then I'm taking my education somewhere else. I am not paying good money for sub-standard education if I can get better from other schools. Are there any others aside from Hogwarts?"

"Well, that depends. Are you going to singly pursue your magical education or do you plan to keep up with your muggle one at the same time?" Griphook asked before summoning a book from the shelf behind his desk. He flipped a few pages before looking up at Harry expectantly as the boy thought about his answer.

"If there is a school that offers both magical and muggle education then I'm going to take that one though that would depend on what they offer. I already graduated from primary and secondary muggle education by taking their exams early. I'm in the process of taking my college degree through the Internet."

"Interesting." said Griphook in surprise. He knew that the young Potter Lord was smart but he didn't know he was this smart. Prodigy, indeed. His parents would have been proud. "You learn something new every day and you, my young Lord Potter, are a surprise. If you're already taking your college education then there are only two schools that offer college courses to magical students."

"Really now?" Harry said with interest. He definitely wanted to know such schools since it tickled his fancy.

"Yes. The first school is in the United States, more specifically, in Salem. The Salem Institute of Magical Arts offers a well-rounded magical curriculum, more than what Hogwarts offers. At the same time, the school also provides muggle classes based on the student's interest. If I heard right, the institute is connected to its muggle counterpart but I'm not sure about that."

"Nice, and the second one?" Harry said as he made a mental note to look it up.

"The second one is in a pure magical school that hires muggle tutors for students who wished to take muggle education. The Magical Academy of Alexandria in Egypt is not only a school for witches and wizards, it also play host to other magical races for the pursuit of knowledge."

"Magical Races?" asked Harry in some surprise.

"Yes, there are other races that can use magic and some other abilities inherent to their race - Veelas, Wood Elves, Fairies, and Drackens just to name a few. In most cases, the school in Egypt ensures that those who are accepted into its rosters are tolerant and respectful of other magical beings since it wouldn't do for them to be…re-educated by the other students." Griphook said with an evil smirk on his face.

"That is an interesting bit of news. I didn't know there were other magical races around. I need to look into that." Harry mused. "Anyway, I'll decide on other school if Hogwarts proves to be a disappointment. If you can send me an introductory packet of both school, then it would be greatly appreciated since I want to know the details before I switch education. For now, I need to find out what Dumbledore is up to. Considering that he went behind my back to make a betrothal contract, are there any activities to my vaults with his hand on it? I remembered from my portfolio that Dumbledore has access to my Trust Vault. I didn't bother to correct that then but I want to do it now."

"Yes." said Griphook. "After sending me the missive, I got an update from the ledgers that Dumbledore withdrew 20,000 Galleons from your Trust Vault through the key he has as your magical guardian. Since you didn't revoke his access, I assumed that you knew what you were doing."

"That was shortsighted on my part. Please remove Dumbledore's access to my vault. If he tried to take money from me again and failed, inform him that he exceeded the amount to be withdrawn from my Trust Vault and further withdrawals require my presence or signed permission before proceeding."

"Smart. From your orders, does this mean that you want to keep Dumbledore out of the loop concerning your emancipation?" Griphook asked shrewdly. He definitely liked this boy since Harry just stated a loophole in a Magical Guardian's right to take money from their charges. It would seem that the boy's logical mind was a force to be reckoned with.

"Yes. From what I read, Dumbledore is the part of the judicial system and its head. If he knows of my emancipation then it is quite possible that he will go to lengths to revoke it, not that I fear him doing so because I am wearing the Potter Lord Ring and its decision to emancipate me is irrevocable being the will of Magic and all. However, I don't want the headache of dealing with the old man. Let's keep my status hidden for now unless something drastic comes up that requires me to reveal myself as Lord Potter." Harry said coldly. He didn't like to reveal his hand so early in the game but if Dumbledore did something drastic then he will be forced to do so.

"I'll take care of that right away, Harry." said Griphook, taking down a few notes on a piece of parchment. "While you're here, I got some news concerning the letter you gave me a few months back about the new investments you wanted to put some money into. Let's just say you are reaping quite a bit of money from that decision."

"Do tell, my beloved Griphook." Harry purred. It was his first time to dabble in money and it would seem that his first try was a success.

"As ordered, I bought a few shares in budding companies in the muggle world, namely Nokia, Sony Ericsson, LG, Sony, and AT&T. You're quite lucky in that regard since a week after buying the shares, the stocks doubled in price. From the current growth in the market, you're well on your way to doubling your fortune in two years, maybe less if the market improves."

"Excellent. And the technology?" Harry asked eagerly.

"Shareholders are given rights to new technologies that come out before being sold in the market. I already had a solicitor handle that aspect and you will be notified immediately if new technologies come out."

"How much shares did you put me down in these companies?"

"15 to 20 percent."

"Wow. I didn't know it was that big. I'm surprised you followed my orders considering how risky it was to invest in unknowns."

"Let's just say that you have the Devil's Luck and leave it at that, Harry." Griphook gave him a nasty grin which Harry immediately saw and made a connection.

"You also invested, didn't you?" Harry asked with a grin. Griphook's was still firmly plastered on his face.

"I have, Harry, and my wealth has grown considerably. I hope you don't mind."

"Why should I?" Harry said with a shrug. He didn't care if Griphook used the information he provided for a better investment. It's only practical, after all. "It's your money and it is only standard practice to use information to one's gain. This only showed that you are not only a trustworthy banker, but also a smart one." Harry said with a sly smirk on his face. Griphook preened at the praise.

"You're so kind to say so." Griphook said modestly. "That concludes everything that we needed to discuss. I will send you the packets you requested so you can familiarize yourself with the two schools I mentioned. If something ever comes up, I'll keep you informed."

"Which reminds me," said Harry before concentrating a bit. A box materialized on the desk that surprised the goblin. "That's for you."

"What is it?" asked Griphook as he pulled the box over to him and looked into its contents. He saw a mobile phone and a small booklet.

"That is a mobile phone that I had a Technomancer in New York enchant for me. I have a dozen of them back at home and I will be giving them out to people I trust. Instead of sending me a letter, give me a call from now on. It never runs out of power since it runs on ambient magic and it's enchanted to always have airtime and never run out."

"Amazing." said Griphook as he took the phone and turned it on. He checked the phonebook with practiced ease and saw Harry's name and number as the only contact present.

Harry quirked an eyebrow at the practiced ease the goblin used the phone.

"I didn't know you were familiar with muggle techcnology, Griphook."

"I am and it is only right for me to know them since my client invest in muggle companies that produce trinkets such as these." Griphook said with a grin on his face.

"I correct my remark earlier, my friend. You're not only a smart and trustworthy, you're frightfully insightful as well. Good show, old bean!" quipped Harry.

"Again, my thanks. So does this mean that I can give you a call anytime if something important comes up?"

"Please. It's easier and more practical than owl post."

"I agree."

"So if there isn't anything more…" Harry said as he stood up. "I think I'll check out the Alleys a bit. Maybe there are some new books I can buy to add to my collection."

"Try Borgin and Burkes. If you're looking for rare tomes then that is the perfect place for you." Griphook suggested. He wasn't worried about Harry venturing into Knockturn Alley. The Potter Lord could take care of himself. If not, then the Shadow Hound would take care of it.

"I think I will. Thanks for your time, Griphook. Till next time." said Harry to the goblin as farewell before looking at Zieg. "Ready to do a bit of shopping, Zieg?"

Zieg barked and clamped down on the edge of Harry's robe before dragging his master into a patch of shadow and disappearing through it. Griphook merely shook his head at the sight.

* * *

Harry happily celebrated his birthday in his James Evanson persona. Considering how weird it was for an 11-year old boy to visit the mall and amusement park alone, he decided to spend his time as a 22-year old professional to avoid arousing suspicion. Before he left home, he received packages from William and Bridgette for his presents since both were out of the country and didn't have the time to take a flight and celebrate his birthday together.

William sent him three pair of Nike shoes since he knew that Harry liked to go on a run.

Bridgette, as usual, sent him quite a lot of expensive clothes, from Armani to Polo. Harry had this sneaky suspicion that Bridgette's mother had a hand in this as well since she was a well-known fashionista. How they got his measurements right, he didn't know and wouldn't want to know.

Griphook, surprisingly, also sent him a present. It was an enchanted golden pendant. According to the letter, the pendant was enchanted to protect its wearer from harm. The strength of the enchantment could stand up to an overpowered _Reducto_ without harming its wearer though the _Killing Curse_ could easily break through its many protections. It was a welcome gift from his banker friend which Harry immediately wore since it looked good on him.

After telling his aunt that he will be out for most of the day, Harry immediately ducked into an alley and shifted into James Evanson before taking a bus to the nearest mall since he wanted to check out new technologies in the market. He saw in the Internet that a new, more powerful laptop came out from Hewlett-Packard. Since he already mastered the Internet spell traded to him by the Technomancers in New York, he need not worry about giving the new gadget the same capabilities as his old one.

Harry spent two hours at the mall, more specifically, the computer shop and came out with a wide grin on his face as he carried a box containing his new HP Pavilion. It has a much bigger screen compared to his old laptop and it had better processing speed. He looked forward to how faster it would be after enchanting it like his old laptop.

His next stop was the amusement park where he spent three hours trying out all the rides he was interested in. He had a late lunch in an expensive restaurant and tried out dishes he wasn't familiar with.

All-in-all, it was a happy Harry that returned to Privet Drive though he was surprised when he saw his aunt waiting for him. In her hand was a letter.

"Harry, a letter came for you while you were out." Petunia said, nervousness in her voice. Harry saw it immediately.

"Aunt Petunia, you don't have to fear me you know. If you noticed, I didn't even touch a hair on you guys after Uncle Vernon tried to throttle me two years back when I displayed my powers. If you don't make my life a living hell then I won't retaliate in kind." Harry pointed out as he accepted the letter from his aunt.

"I know." Petunia said softly, with a bit of regret in her voice.

Harry, in a brief moment of insight, stepped closer to his aunt and gave her a hug which surprised her.

"Remember this Aunt Petunia, no matter how cruel you treated me in the past; you are still the only relative I have left. I can't forgive Vernon or Dudley but I can forgive you. However, I will never forget. If you continue to leave me alone and be civil with me during conversations then I will do the same." whispered Harry before letting her go and proceeded to go up to his room.

He didn't see Petunia shed tears of regret as she continued to stare at his retreating back.

* * *

Harry started at the letter for a few minutes deciding what to make of it. It was his Hogwarts acceptance letter inviting him to attend the prestigious school.

Since classes wouldn't be starting until September, he decided that it was the perfect time to talk to someone from the school to get to know it better.

With a sly grin on his face, Harry conjured a parchment started writing a response with his enchanted calligraphy pen. Thanks to his studies, he found a way to embed a few runes into the pen so it's had a permanent conjuration enchantment to create ink directly into its stores before it runs out. It was way better than using quills and ink and less messy too.

He reviewed the letter a few times before nodding in approval. He decided before penning the letter that he would pretend of not knowing anything about magic. He wanted to keep the extent of his knowledge a secret and making sure that his status as a Sorcerer remained hidden for the time being.

He sent it off with Hedwig who was eager to deliver letters for her master and friend. When Hedwig's white form disappeared, he pulled out his mobile phone and dialed Griphook's number.

If he was going to pretend to be an uneducated idiot then he needed to make sure that his plan was full proof.

* * *

Professor Minerva McGonagall was taking a sip of her favorite brand of scotch when a beautiful white owl entered his office via the open window. The owl landed on the table in front of her and held out a leg where an envelope was firmly tied.

Curious, the Transfiguration Professor and Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry took the letter from the owl and thanked it. The owl gave a small hoot in response before flying out the same way it came in.

Flipping the letter over, she couldn't help but smile in approval at the neat cursive script her name was written in. Whoever sent this letter, he or she knew how to write and write well.

Breaking the wax with a practiced flick of her fingers, she pulled out the letter and started to read.

_Professor McGonagall, _

_I pray that this letter find you in the best of days. _

_My name is Harry James Potter and I wrote this letter in response to my acceptance into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. _

_To this effect, I would like to request a visit from you or from other professors you deem trustworthy to visit me at my home to answer some of my questions. Since I have nothing better to do with my time, I would suggest that someone accompany me to shop for the supplies since I have no idea where to get them. _

_To answer some questions that should be present in your mind, my beloved Aunt informed me of magic when she gave me the letter. Curious as to this unknown aspect of my heritage, I would like a knowledgeable witch or wizard to take time to answer my questions since my aunt expressed her lack of knowledge in this regard. _

_Looking forward to the visit,_

_Sincerely yours,_

_Harry James Potter_

_Number 4 Privet Drive, _

_Whining, Surrey. _

Minerva was a bit surprised on how well the letter was written and couldn't help but feel happy that Harry wasn't having a hard life. She was thankful that her first foray into the Dursleys was incorrect. When she saw how horrid the family was, she feared that Harry would end up being ostracized by the family because of his unique heritage. It would seem that she was wrong and thanked the high heavens for that.

Also, thanks to her experience in dealing with students and her responsibility as Deputy Headmistress, she had this uncanny ability to determine the intelligence of a person through their missives. From the way Harry Potter wrote his letter, he had a mind that exceeded that of his parents, especially Lily who was known as the smartest witch in her generation. Not only was he exceedingly polite, each sentence was properly written and conveyed the points without questions. She was looking forward to teaching him and hoped that he would end up in her house, Gryffindor.

She frowned when she realized that her schedule didn't permit her from personally visiting Mr. Potter at the Dursley home. She flicked her wand causing a rolled-up scroll to be summoned from a shelf. It was a schedule of different professors for their visits to muggleborn and half-blood students for their attendance in the school. After perusing the list, he realized that the other professors were booked, except for Severus Snape, Potion Master of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, who seldom ventured out into the muggle world to help out new students and tell them all about magic.

Sighing, she decided to trust the man despite how he hated James Potter with a passion equaling his beloved potions. She hoped that Severus would see more of Harry than James Potter's son.

She sighed again before pulling out two parchments from the stack on her desk. She had two letters to write – one for an intelligent student and one for a grumpy Potion Professor.

* * *

It was the next day that Harry was surprised to see a reply from his letter to Professor McGonagall. It was delivered by a large brown owl with a Hogwarts crest around its neck. Taking the letter from the owl and offering a bit of treats from Hedwig's bowl, he moved to his study table and sat down before reading the missive.

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_I was surprised to receive a letter from you so quickly and was more surprised that your Aunt was agreeable in the regard of telling you what she knew of magic. _

_But before we get into the gist of this letter, I would like to inform you of your acceptance into the school and I have personally confirmed your addition into the rosters. _

_To your request for a visitation, Professor Serverus Snape, Potions Master of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, will be giving you a visit on the 10th of August at exactly 10AM. If you are available, he will also be taking you to purchase your supplies. _

_Any questions and confirmation you need may be addressed to Professor Snape. If you have any other inquiries before the visitation, please feel free to send me another missive and I will do my best to answer them for you. _

_Sincerely yours, _

_Professor Minerva McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress_

_Transfiguration Professor_

_Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

Harry's eyebrows rose to his hairline in surprise. He didn't except to get a reply so soon and a favorable reply at that. He had no problems with the visit but he might need to get his relative out of the way so his plan would work. He needed to make sure that the Professors of Hogwarts had no idea of his life at the Dursley since that would raise a few questions he didn't want answered. He looked around his room and decided to put it back to normal, but making sure that it would look as if he was properly treated by his relatives. He called Floppy and told her of his plan before getting started with his own tasks.

* * *

It was August 10 that Number Four Privet Drive had a visitor. Professor Severus Snape wearing his usual black wizarding robes and a scowl on his way trudge through the well-tended garden of the Dursleys and knocked on the door.

He hated this. Why in the world did McGonagall saddle him with the responsibility of introducing a new student to the world of magic? Didn't she know that he had more important things to do than talking to a brat? What's worst, he was saddled with the task of talking to bloody Harry James Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, the son of his tormentor and best friend. He hated his life.

He expected an exact replica of his hated enemy when the door opened to admit him in. He was surprised, however, when his expectations were wrong.

The boy who answered his knock was not the boy he expected. In front of him was no James Potter. The well-styled hair, the innocent face, and the intelligent sparkle in the boy's green eyes spoke nothing of James Potter. It was pure Lily – his best friend. He definitely hid his surprise when he didn't see the well-known lightning bolt scar on the boy's forehead. What in the world was going on here? He gathered his wits and addressed the boy in a lazy drawl.

"Are you Harry James Potter?" asked Snape. The boy gave a flicker of surprise before a smile appeared on his innocent face.

"I am and would it be safe to assume that you're Professor Severus Snape of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?" Harry asked calmly and respectfully. Snape couldn't help but be surprised at the respect the boy was giving him. This was definitely not a spawn of James Potter. He wondered briefly who the boy's real father was.

"Yes," said Snape. "Deputy Headmistress McGonagall informed me that you have some questions about the magical world and require assistance in getting your supplies."

"Indeed I do, Professor Snape." said Harry with a winning smile on his face. "Where are my manners, please come in, professor."

Harry held the door open for the professor to come in. After closing the door, he guided the scowling Potions Master to the sitting room. He left the room for a bit and returned with a tray holding two cups of tea that he personally brewed, a full pot of the same tea, and a tin of chocolate-covered biscuits.

"I was of the assumption that your aunt and uncle would be here." Snape asked as he looked around.

"They had to leave early for their scheduled family outing. I was supposed to go with them but I had to forgo such an event since I don't want to be rude in changing the schedule of our appointment. A man such as yourself has better use of your time than wasting it for another day." Harry pointed out with a nod of respect towards Snape who was surprised at seeing a Potter being concerned of his well-being. This was definitely new in his book. How Petunia raised the boy was definitely something to look into if she manage to stop James Potter's attitude from surfacing.

"Thank you for being concerned for my well-being, Mr. Potter." said Snape before taking a sip of his tea. He was surprised that it tasted so good. Harry noticed this with a smile on his face.

"I hope you like your Earl Grey, Professor Snape. I brewed it myself thanks to my interest in the kitchen."

"Indeed. This is the best tea I have tasted since I took a liking to its taste. I might ask you how you made such a brew later but for now, you have some questions that need answering?" Snape asked before taking another sip and waiting for Harry to get started with the question.

"Indeed I do, professor. To start with, my aunt was a bit vague in answering some of my questions regarding the world of magic, as she put it, since her only experience was the stories that my mother, Lily Evans Potter, told her of her time at Hogwarts. Could you explain to me how such a world escaped the notice of those without?" asked Harry, opening his first salvo of questions. He already knew everything he needed to know about the Wizarding and Magical World but he needed to pretend to be uneducated in order to avoid suspicion.

Snape couldn't help but be surprised at the question directed at him. It would seem that Harry James Potter had a better mind that the rest of the dunderheads he was teaching at school. This was something to look forward to and the capability of the boy in the kitchen was a testament to a budding skill in Potions.

"The answer to that is simple, Mr. Potter, the magical world remained hidden from the world of non-magical, or muggles as the Wizarding World coined it, to avoid potential harassment from them. It is a well-known fact that muggles tend to react negatively to things that their science couldn't explain." Snape drawled out, taking a biscuit from the tin and gave it a nibble to check the taste.

"Hm, has this something to do with the witch hunt from history? Since I learned of the existence of magic from my aunt, I took to history books and read among its pages that during the dark ages, there were stories of magic being used without persecution. Would it safe to say that some acts from the muggles caused the Wizarding World to retreat behind magical protections?" Harry asked with a thoughtful look on his face.

"An intelligent response and assumption, Mr. Potter, though you lacked the exact detail of such history but you are correct in general. Because of the persecution from the muggles, the witches and wizards of the world banded together to create a protection of sorts that hides our magic from the outside world. As it is, the Wizarding World is hidden and would remain so till the end of days if the persecution still persists." Snape explained making Harry nod.

"I see, I won't waste your time by asking questions about magical history since I can safely read them from a book." Harry said causing Snape to nod in agreement. "Now, regarding Hogwarts, what subjects in magic are taught?"

"There are the Core Subjects and the Electives, Mr. Potter. The Core Subjects taught at Hogwarts includes Transfiguration, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, History of Magic, Astronomy, Herbology, and Potions. Elective Subjects are offered when you reach your third year, which includes Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, Divination, Care of Magical Creatures, and Muggle Studies. Flying subjects are taught only on your first year while Apparition, a form of magical travel, is taught when your each the legal age of 17."

"Sorry to interrupt, professor, but you didn't mention any subjects pertaining to sthe muggle educational system. You mean that it is not included in the curriculum?" asked Harry with some surprise, though this was faked since he already knew that.

"I'm sorry to say this, Mr. Potter, but Hogwarts is purely a magical school and muggle education only extends to an introduction to the muggle lifestyle and their innovations. Why the interest in muggle education?" Snape asked curiously. He couldn't deny the fact that he was enjoying this conversation, and to a Potter too.

"I take my education seriously, professor." Harry said seriously. "As it stands, despite my age, I already graduated from primary and secondary education and is currently taking my college course through the Internet."

"The Internet?" Snape with some surprise though not at the unfamiliar term but at the idea of this boy, clearly 11, having passed his secondary level of education at such a young age. He knew the boy was intelligent from the conversation they were having but he didn't know he was THAT intelligent.

"Hm, I'm not sure how to explain this in a manner but are you familiar with the telephone, professor?" asked Harry, totally misunderstanding the professor's surprise.

"Yes, I am but the newer innovations escaped my notice." Snape admitted with a frown on his face.

"Let me put it this way, thanks to the telephone, the Internet was created. With this, information is easily transferred from one location to another and allowing the people with an Internet connection to gain access to this information. Also, the Internet allows instant communication to different parties, whether by call or mail. Through this, I am getting my education since I don't want to attend college being an 11 year old and all."

"Are you telling me, Mr. Potter that you are intelligent enough to go to college?" Snape asked with a raised eyebrow. It was a challenge that Harry definitely recognized and accepted.

"Yes, professor. I don't want to brag but my teachers deem me a prodigy. I have an eidetic memory, making it easy for me to absorb lessons at a faster pace than average. Because of this, I breezed through the lessons by reading in advance. I took the different test, which includes placement and IQ tests, to finish the two educational levels at an early age. Last I heard, I was deemed a prodigy but such label makes me cringe in annoyance." Harry said with a fake shiver.

"You don't like being labeled a prodigy?" Snape challenged. This needed to be asked since he wanted to know how this boy thinks without getting into his mind.

"No, professor. As far as I'm concerned, everyone is a prodigy. As long as they apply themselves and have a clear goal in mind, it is easy to achieve what I have. For me, prodigies are labeled by people who clearly don't understand the meaning of hard work, but instead, admitting it to a potential and talent a person has. No professor, I don't like to be labeled a prodigy, a hard working, yes, but a prodigy, no.

"I see. That is a…unique way of putting it, Mr. Potter. But I regret to inform you that if you want to continue your muggle education then you either take it during the summer to have access to this…Internet as you called it or take your education after you finish Hogwarts in 7 years. Your choice."

"I think the first choice would be acceptable considering that I don't have a choice in the matter if Hogwarts doesn't have muggle technology to supplement muggle education." Harry said cheekily causing Snape's lips twitch to a semblance of a smile. "Are you open for more questions, professor?"

"Indeed, I am, Mr. Potter. As I loathe to admit it, I am enjoying this conversation." Snape admitted with a scowl causing Harry to give a laugh. Seeing that the professor's cup was empty, Harry lifted the pot and looked pointedly at the cup on the professor's hand.

Getting the idea, Snape placed the cup on the table where Harry filled it up. Snape picked it up and took another sip before a sigh escaped his lips. This time, it was Harry's lips that was twitching.

"To be honest, professor. I am quite interested in the magical world since it is a part of my legacy. I don't know my parents since they died when I was still in diapers, I am interested in magic to walk the same paths they did when I was their age. Which reminds me professor, why were you staring at my forehead earlier?" Harry asked curiously. He was steering the conversation to that of the events that happened during the end of the first war. The history books he read about him were pure fiction so he needed hard facts to know the truth. Harry saw Snape pale at the question so he plastered a worried look on his face. "Is there something wrong?"

"No, Mr. Potter. Just surprised at your question, that's all. Tell me, did your aunt tell you the nature of your parent's death?" Snape whispered though Harry clearly heard it.

"No, professor. She did inform me to ask you if such a time comes that I want the question answered." lied Harry since his aunt didn't say such a thing. Snape sighed before launching to his tale.

"Unlike my colleagues who would be showering you with grand tales of the magical world, I would not put you to such a farce considering how intelligent and mature you are." Snape started making Harry nod in thanks. "You see, Mr. Potter, before you were born, a terrible Dark Wizard threatened magical Britain causing the First Wizarding War to come to pass."

"War?" Harry asked in surprise.

"Yes, war." Snape said with a nod. "There were two factions in this war. The Light side and the Dark side. Obviously, the Dark side was under this Dark Wizard and have caused untold destruction to the magical world. Both wizarding and magical races were hit hard."

"Does this dark wizard have a name?" Harry asked curiously, keeping up with the act.

"The Wizarding World doesn't speak his name but simply dubbed him as You-Know-Who out of fear. But I don't suffer from such a paranoia. The wizard's name was Lord Voldemort."

"Sorry to interrupt, professor, but what does this have to do with you staring at my forehead earlier?" Harry stated with a raised eyebrow.

"If you let me continue then I would be happy to explain." Snape drawled, his own eyebrow raised in challenge. Harry backed down and nodded, telling the professor that he would keep his mouth shut until the end of the explanation. "To continue, the dark wizard attacked a family, your family, during Halloween. No one knows what happened but after killing your parents, the Dark Lord tried to kill you. But what he did backfired on him, killing him in the process. You, however, survived the ordeal with nothing but a lightning bolt scar on your forehead. Because of your actions that night, the Wizarding World dubbed you as the Boy-Who-Lived, the Savior of the Wizarding world, and the sole survivor of the _Killing Curse_, a curse that cannot be blocked or stopped. Anyone who is hit by it suffers from instant death, no questions asked."

Harry was quiet for a few minutes, digesting the information presented to him. There were a few holes in the story that he wanted answer.

"I'm sorry to say this professor but parts in your story doesn't add up. For example, if the war was at its peak, why didn't my parents have protections in place to protect them from such an attack? Also, how did the wizarding public know that Voldemort used the _Killing Curse_ on me? If I was the only one alive at that time, how did the people know that the Dark Lord used this it?"

"Quite a mind you have there, Mr. Potter. Your inquisitive nature would serve you well when you get to Hogwarts." Snape complimented the boy's mind. He was sharp, very sharp. He was so looking forward to teaching the boy. "To answer your questions, your parents were under the most powerful protection in the Wizarding World – the _Fidelus Charm_. This charm works by putting a location in bubble, making everyone forget of its location except for the _Secret Keeper_ tied to the charm. Only the _Secret Keeper_ can divulge the location of a _Fidelus_-charmed location. As it stands, Sirius Black, your parent's best friend, was the _Secret Keeper_. He told the Dark Lord of the secret, destroying the only means of your family's protection against him."

"So where is this…Sirius Black now?" Harry asked coldly. Now he had a name and a goal.

"Sirius Black was captured after murdering your parents' other best friend, Peter Pettigrew. He blew up the man with a single curse, leaving only a finger to survive the explosion. The blast also took out 12 muggles. He is now in Azkaban, a Wizarding prison, for life."

"I see. How about my other question, professor?" Harry asked with a nod those his face was still as stone.

"It is a well-known fact in the Wizarding World that all spells leave a residue. Aurors, a magical policeman of sorts, who surveyed the scene of the Dark Lord's downfall found three locations where the _Killing Curse_ was cast; one in the living room and two in the nursery where you and the corpse of your mother was found. From this finding, your parents were killed by the same curse and you being subjected to the third. This is how the world knew of your survival."

"I see, so that why I had that scar on my forehead." Harry murmured to himself though he knew the next question Snape would be asking.

"How did the scar disappear anyway?" Snape asked curiously. "As far as I knew, it was a cursed scar that stopped any attempts of its removal."

"Plastic Surgery, professor." Harry lied, seeing the surprised look on Snape's face, he decided to explain. "The muggle world has this technique called Plastic Surgery or to be more technical about it, Cosmetic Surgery. My aunt had the scar removed by having the skin where the scar grafted out. In turn, the doctors used their expertise to close the wound leaving no scar to give evidence to its removal."

"I see. It is quite interesting to note that such a technique was quite possible in the muggle world." Snape said with undisguised interest. After all, a scar that stopped any magical means of removal was easily removed by a muggle technique. If Voldemort knew about that then he would have a fit.

"Thank you for answering my questions, professor. At least now I know about the history of my scar and the death of my parents." said Harry with a nod of thanks. He looked at the clock and saw that it was almost lunch time. "Professor, since it is almost lunch, would you like to join me for a bite to eat. I already have lasagna baking in the oven and would be done in a few minutes. I would be honored if you join me before we get my supplies."

"It would be my pleasure, Mr. Potter. While we eat, would you be so kind to answer some of my questions? I hate to admit it but I find your…intelligence a curiosity."

Harry laughed before guiding the Potions Professor to the dining room for a bite to eat.

* * *

**End of Chapter 5**

**Please leave a comment or a review. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Belgariad.**

**Chapter 6: Giants and Wands. **

Harry and Professor Snape was having a quiet conversation as they partook of the lasagna that Harry prepared in advance when a loud knock came from the front door. Surprised, Harry excused himself to answer the door. He opened it to reveal a giant of a man.

"Are yah Harry Potter?" asked the giant in a booming voice.

"Er, yes, I am. Who might you be, sir?" Harry asked politely though he already knew who this person was since he could feel quite a large amount of magic from the man's body.

"The name's Rebeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts. I came here to take you to get your supplies." said Hagrid with a large smile on his face.

"Er, can you please come in and follow me to the kitchen?" Harry asked with a confused look on his face. He led Hagrid to the kitchen who was surprised to see Professor Snape there also looking at him the same way.

"What in Merlin's name are you doing here, Hagrid?" asked Snape in surprise.

"Er, I came here on Professor Dumbledore's orders. He told me that he wanted me to take Harry to Diagon Alley for his supplies." Hagrid asked, confused as to why the Potions Professor was here.

"Professor McGonagall gave me the task to introduce Mr. Potter to the Wizarding World and to take him to acquire his supplies for school. Didn't the Headmaster inform you that I was assigned taking charge of this?" Snape said with narrowed eyes, no idea what the old coot was up to.

"No, Professor Snape. He visited me a few hours ago and told me that Harry needed to be taken to the alley for his supplies. I even brought his letter just in case his relatives didn't give it to him." Hagrid informed them before bringing out a letter from his many pockets. Harry and Snape's eyes narrowed for different reasons.

"Be that as it may, Hagrid, I will be accompanying Mr. Potter to Diagon Alley. I suggest you go back to Hogwarts and clear this up with McGonagall to avoid something like this from happening again." Snape said coolly, not knowing what the Headmaster was thinking letting Hagrid, who was quite conspicuous, to pick up a muggle-raised wizard. Was the man mad?

"Might I be accompanying both of ya, professor?" asked Hagrid. "Professor Dumbledore asked me to pick up something from Gringotts and he gave me the key to Harry's vault so he could buy his supplies."

Harry hid his surprise very well. It would seem that the Headmaster was trusting of this man considering how he just gave a key to a vault that contained quite a lot of money. He decided to just keep quiet and let the Potions Professor handle it. He was uneducated, after all.

"Whatever, Hagrid. McGonagall already gave me this task and I will finish it. Give me the key so I can take out the necessary money for Mr. Potter's supplies. You may accompany us since we are going to the same location. Instead of _Apparating_ there, we will have to take the Knight Bus to get to the Leaky Cauldron." snapped Snape in irritation and swiping the golden key that Hagrid presented to him.

"Knight Bus? Leaky Cauldron? Gringotts?" asked Harry with his 'I don't know what you people are talking about' look. "I have a vault?"

"The Knight Bus is a wizarding transport that you can summon by holding your wand aloft. It will take you anywhere in Wizarding Britain faster than an ordinary muggle bus. The Leaky Cauldron is one of the entrances to Diagon Alley. It is hidden from the muggles thanks to some enchantments. Gringotts is a bank for magicals. Your parents left you a Trust Vault for your school before they died. In order to access the vault, you need a key, this key to be exact." Snape informed him and giving Harry the key to his vault which he accepted gratefully.

"Ah, interesting." said Harry with a nod before studying the key closely. It was his first time to see one since he needed no key to get money from the bank, not that they needed to know about it. "So are we going now, professor, Mr. Hagrid?"

"Call me Hagrid." the giant rumbled with a grin. Harry smiled at the giant of a man. He was quite likable.

With that, the three made their way out of the house. Harry locked the door behind him and Snape held out his wand causing a large boom to echo around the block. A large double-decker bus appeared out of nowhere to stop in front of them.

"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch and wizard. I'm your conductor, Stan Shunpike." said a man when the door to the bus opened.

* * *

Harry vowed to never ride the Knight Bus if he could help it. He practically spent the next five minutes being tossed around as the bus magically swerved through the traffic without hitting any of the cars it passed. He looked quite green as he exited the magical transport with a very irritated Snape leading him into the Leaky Cauldron. Harry had to stop himself from blasting the bus into oblivion with his Sorcery. It was an abomination that needed to be destroyed for the sake of mankind.

Harry noticed that Hagrid was a bit tender after that ride judging from the pale face the man was sporting.

When they got to the Leaky Cauldron, Snape immediately ushered Harry to the back without looking at the patrons who were giving them curious looks. Hagrid, of course, decided to stay in the Cauldron for a bit for a pick-me-up since he was feeling ill from the trip.

Harry had to fake his surprise when Snape opened the entrance to Diagon Alley. Keeping up with the ruse, he asked the Professor some questions regarding the shops and the list of supplies he needed to acquire for Hogwarts. Snape informed him that he would take care of everything since he knew where to go. Harry was content to be led throughout the shopping trip, inwardly snickering at how masterful his acting was.

Fortunately for him, all the preparation was in place so he need not worry about being discovered. He came here yesterday to remove the memories of his presence in the minds of the shops he bought stuff from. Hedwig was in a cage back at the pet shop after practically cajoling with the owl to pretend that they never met. He didn't know how to make Zieg work becoming his familiar but he decided to work on that later. He was curious why Zieg disappeared since last night and chalked it up to his familiar frolicking around or exploring.

Their first stop was Gringotts. Harry was quite surprised when Griphook pretended to be a lowly teller and took them to the carts that zoomed down to the catacombs to reach his Trust Vault. It was Harry's first time to see the famed bowels of Gringotts and relished the experience. He likened the cart to a roller coaster and made a special point to ask Griphook later for another ride if possible.

After getting 500 Galleons which Snape said was enough for his supplies and pocket money for school, they took the cart back up to the surface where Griphook waved at them cheerfully which confused Snape much to Harry's amusement. His goblin friend was definitely laying the acting a little too thick.

Their first stop was the trunk shop where Snape bought Harry a one-compartment trunk with the usual provisos of enchantments – feather-light and durability – enough for a first year student at Hogwarts. Next stop was the bookstore where Snape ordered the first year books while getting a few more books for Harry to read to give him a better grounding of the Wizarding and Magical world. Harry noticed that there were quite a lot of Potion-related books in the pile.

Nothing spectacular happened when Snape took Harry to buy his potion ingredients and supplies though Harry had to give it to the man, he definitely knew what to do when it came to Potions judging from how his Hogwarts Potions Kit was completed. After getting his writing supplies, they went to the pet shop where something happened that he didn't expect.

When they got there, Hedwig immediately caused a ruckus that made everyone look at her as if it was crazy. Harry knew that Hedwig didn't like to be caged so he immediately went to the owl and opened the cage much to everyone's consternation. Hedwig flew around before landing on Harry's shoulder with a pointed look at the shopkeeper that she wanted to be bought…immediately.

Another unusual thing that happened was when Zieg came out of the shadows and immediately bounded over to his master. Since he knew that Zieg had something in mind, Harry used Sorcery to create a glow around the two of them when they touched signifying a magical bond of sorts forming. That was how Zieg finally became Harry's familiar in the eyes of the public.

Snape didn't say anything but simply quirked an eyebrow at the black dog beside Harry's feet and a proud white owl on his shoulder.

The next stop was the wandmaker where Harry was going to purchase his new wand. The young Potter Lord made a last minute decision before leaving Privet Drive to translocate his Mithril ring to his room since he didn't know if the wandmaker would be able to detect a focus on his person.

Upon entering the shop, Harry immediately noticed an old man, which he judged to be Ollivander, looking at the two of them. He addressed Snape first.

"Ah, Professor Snape. Twelve Inches, from a branch of a particular rare Black Cedar and dragon heartstring core. Hope you're wand serves you well?" asked Ollivander with a mysterious smile on his lips.

"If has, Mr. Ollivander. I came to have you give Mr. Potter a wand of his own for Hogwarts." Snape drawled lazily, ushering Harry forward who was giving the creepy wandmaker a nervous look.

Harry felt a telltale nudge to his mind but his subconscious defense created a shield before it could take hold.

"Mr. Potter, you come at last." Ollivander breathed out finally after observing him after talking to Snape. "I remember quite clearly when your parents came here to get their wands. Your father favored a Mahogany wand, eleven inches, pliable and very good for Transfiguration; while your mother favored a Willow wand, ten and a quarter inches, quite springy, perfect for charms work. I wonder what wand would bind itself to you, Mr. Potter. After all, it is the wand that chooses the wizard and not the other way around." said Ollivander as he pulled out a dozen boxes from under the counter and laid it on the table. "Which is your dominant hand, Mr. Potter?"

"I am right-handed, sir." replied Harry. He was surprised when a measuring tape started flying around his body. It first measured his raised right arm, his waist, height, neck, and finally the size of his nose before Ollivander called out.

"That's enough of that." said the wandmaker causing the measuring tape to fly over the table and deposited itself in a box. "Give this a try, Mr. Potter, Mahogany, twelve inches, unicorn tail hair, perfect for Light magic. Come on, give it a wave."

Harry cautiously approached the wandmaker and took the wand from the man. He felt the magic in the wand and couldn't help but grimace when he felt how it rejected his magic. Sighing, he gave the wand a wave as Ollivander instructed causing a life-sized portrait of a man to burst into fire. He quickly placed the wand back into the box before eyeing the smoldering portrait.

Ollivander flicked his own wand at the portrait, smothering the flames and repairing it from its almost burning. The man in the photo was giving Harry a death glare as if wanting Harry to suffer the same thing he did.

"No, definitely not. Try this one then, Cherry, ten inches, dragon heartstring core." Ollivander offered another wand to Harry to take but it was snatched out of the way by the wandmaker who was mumbling to himself. "Nope, not right."

They spent the next two hours trying wand after wand with different results. Some Ollivander let Harry wave it around while the others were snatched out of his hand before he could even try. The wandmaker was grinning like loon after Harry tried and failed the last one.

"You have tried all the wands in my shop, Mr. Potter. I have never encountered such a tricky customer for almost half a decade. However…"Ollivander paused as he gave Harry a piercing look. "I have two more wands in my possession. One wand I have kept since my ancestors delved into wand lore and one wand that I am not sure if you should try out."

"Why is that, sir?" Harry asked curiously, not knowing the significance of these two wands.

"The first wand was the strongest wand that my ultimate grandfather created. It contained two powerful cores from two rare magical creatures. Its wood is nothing to be scoffed at as well." said Ollivander before waving his wand towards the back of the shop where two thin boxes flew out from the last shelf. He deposited the boxes on the table in front of Harry. "The second wand is the twin of another wand that I have sold to a student two decades back. I daresay, that its twin has a significant history that would cause you to reject this one."

"Considering that I need to have a wand in order to attend Hogwarts, how about we try these two wands to see if they are the right fit for me? Please know Ollivander that, for me, wands are merely tools of the trade. How it is used depends solely on its master. Let me try these two wands to see if they bind themselves to me. If not then we can come up with something else. As you are a wandmaker, it only stands to reason that you have a way to create a wand for a tricky customer, as you so delicately put it?"

"Indeed I do, Mr. Potter. It would seem that your mind is not as…young as it others perceive it to be. Your…unique view of things would serve you well in your endeavors." Ollivander mused as he eyed Harry before pulling out a dark brown wand from the first box. "Be that as it may, try this wand first. Its wood came from the oldest Oak tree in existence harvested by my ancestor after gaining its blessing. It has two cores, a heartstring from a Nundu and a fang from a rather large and vicious Grim," here, Ollivander's eyes strayed to Zieg who was quietly napping in a corner. "both very powerful and volatile cores, exactly thirteen inches, very powerful and suited for ANY forms of magic, both light and dark. Come, child, give it a wave."

Harry took the wand from the box and immediately felt his magical core bond with the wand. However, he felt something missing, another ingredient for his magic to work properly. As he stared at the dark brown wand in his right hand, his left hand was subconsciously making its way to the second box. After taking off the lid, his left hand grabbed the other wand and something happened that left the two other occupants in the shop to look at Harry in shock.

Both wands glowed before it encompassed Harry's body. A golden light burst forth from the two wands before flying out of Harry grasp and levitated in front of him. The Oak-Nundu-Grim wand lengthened until it became a five-foot staff with a rounded tip. The other wand merely floated over to the staff-turned-wand and phased into its depths. Both glowed a bright red and gold before floating over to Harry who took it with his right hand. A cacophony of colors surrounded Harry like a cocoon before it finally died down with Harry looking at the glowing staff in his hand with a surprised and reverent look.

"What in the world just happened?" asked Harry to Ollivander after a few seconds of enjoying the euphoria as the magic of his core and staff bonded.

"I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes." Ollivander breathed out as he stared in awe at the staff Harry was holding.

"Explain, Ollivander." Snape snapped in a crisp voice since he wanted to know what just happened.

"What you saw was a rare magical occurrence only talked about in the rarest of wand lore tomes. When Mr. Potter touched my ultimate grandfather's first creation, it would seem that it lacked the necessary substance to complete the magical bond needed for him to properly use the wand. However, it would seem that my ancestor's wand had a form of sentience to it since it controlled Mr. Potter's movements to grabbed the second wand – eleven inches, Holly with a phoenix tail-feather as its core . When his hand made contact with the Holly wand, a rare bonding occurred. Tell me, Professor Snape, have you ever heard of a Wizard's Staff?"

"The Staff of Legends? You don't mean…" Snape trailed off as he stared reverently at the staff Harry was holding.

"Yes, that is exactly what I mean." Ollivander said smugly, enjoying the looks on the Potion Master's face.

"What is a Wizard's Staff and Staff of Legends?" Harry asked crossly since he didn't know what the two was yammering about.

"A Wizard's Staff, or otherwise called the Staff of Legends, is a mythical magical focus that was created when a rather powerful wand combines with another powerful wand. In this case, my ancestor's wand combining with the Holly-phoenix feather wand. Both powerful wands resulted in the creation of a rare magical focus that was said to be the most powerful in existence, more powerful than the Elder Wand of legends. You, Mr. Potter, is an enigma to result in the creation of the second Wizard's Staff."

"Wow. Who had the first?" Harry whispered as he felt the magic of the staff caress his core lovingly, like a mother caressing her child. It was Snape who answered.

"Mr. Potter, the very first Wizard's Staff was created by Merlin himself. It was he who chronicled the creation of his magical focus and has been passed down from wandmaker to another in hopes that such a phenomenon would be repeated. However, it would seem that your unique case sparked…another unique case." Snape said with an amused look on his face. After seeing the staff form in front of his very eyes, he had a surge of hope flow through his being. He knew deep inside that Voldemort was still around. The hope bloomed when he saw the powerful staff bond itself to the Dark Lords mortal enemy, his equal. The future looked bleak for the Dark Lord and his followers. He made a vow right there and then to teach the boy everything he knew, for the sake of himself and the rest of the Wizarding World if Voldemort ever returns.

"Whoah." Harry said as he looked at his staff in wonder. He channeled a bit of magic into it and was unprepared when Ollivander's shop became free of dust and the woods became polished to mirror-like quality. Everyone was gawking at Harry at the casual display of powerful magic. "That was so cool!"

"Indeed it is, Mr. Potter. If such a small amount of magic was channeled into that staff of yours to produce this effect, I don't want to see what happens when you add more power to a simple spell." Ollivander said with a shiver, finally realizing that he had 'sold' the most powerful magical foci in existence to an untrained 11 year old wizard. He needed to control the situation before things get out of hand. "Now, Mr. Potter, considering that Hogwarts curriculum doesn't include a staff (this got a snort from Snape), we need you to force the staff to its other form."

"Other form?" Harry asked, tilting his head to the side.

"It is a well-known fact that a staff is vastly superior to a wand because of the number of cores it contained, and its length of course, allowing the wizard or witch to focus more power into it. However, a staff may be turned into a wand to help the witch or wizard regulate its powers. If I was to hazard a guess, when you turn your staff into a wand, its powers would be considerably weaker in its full form."

"How do I do that?" asked Harry before he felt a twinge in his magical core. Before his very eyes, the staff shrunk down into a thirteen-inch wand with a very ornate handle. Raising an eyebrow, he sent a mental command to the wand to return to its original form.

As quickly as it shrunk, it lengthened until it became a staff again. He experimented with it a few times until he settled on its wand form and gave an amused Ollivander a smile.

"That was easy. Anyway, do you have anything for me to put my wand in? I think it's not a good idea to shove this thing into my back pocket." Harry asked rhetorically.

"Definitely not." Ollivander said with a scowl, remembering a few incidents where a wizard got his butt blown off because he kept his wand in his back pocket. An accidental _Reducto_ to the buttocks wasn't a pretty sight. "We have wand holsters for that Mr. Potter."

"Can I get one? And how much for the staff, er, wand and for the holster?" asked Harry before pulling out the money pouch Snape handed to him after leaving his vault in Gringotts.

"For the two wands, I would usually charge you 50 Galleons…"

"That's too expensive. My wand is only 7 Galleons." Snape barked out, giving the wandmaker an incredulous look.

"It is expensive because it had two rare cores. Nundu and Grims are powerful creatures and getting a wand component from those two is tantamount to suicide. I almost got killed by the Grim's venom when I took it off from its mouth." Ollivander snapped causing Snape to glare at him which he ignored. "Anway, for the two wands, I will charge you 50 Galleons. Consider the holsters a gift for letting me experience the creation of the Wizard's Staff."

"Deal." said Harry before counting out fifty of the gold coins from his pouch and placing it on the counter. Ollivander immediately scooped it up and placed it in a lockbox beside his table.

"Before you leave, Mr. Potter. I would like to give this to you as a gift." Ollivander said, effectively stopping the two from leaving the shop. He flicked his wand and summoned a small book from a cabinet. He flicked his wand again and levitated the book over to Harry who snatched it out of the air. "That is a book on staff usage and care. Treat your staff well, Mr. Potter. From its creation and how it bonded to you, we can expect great things from you in the future."

Before Harry could leave, a thought sprang into his mind. He looked at the old wandmaker directly in the eye.

"Tell me, sir, you mentioned a history of sorts to the twin of the Holly wand that now reside in my staff. Please explain."

Ollivander's face turned grim.

"You see, Mr. Potter. I know all the wands I have ever sold. The twin of your Holly wand is exactly thirteen inches, Yew, and a tail feather from the same phoenix whose other feather reside in your staff. The same wand that killed your parents."

"Voldemort." Harry said coldly, the magic in the air was quite palpable as the young Potter Lord's hate of the man caused his core to expand, blanketing the room in a smothering cushion of power.

"Indeed." said Ollivander, watching the powerful wizard in front of him in awe. This much power rivaled that of Voldemort and Dumbledore combined. The future looked bright if this boy came to his full power and used it for good. "But as you said, Mr. Potter, it is not the wand that controls the wizard, but the wizard controls the wand. Unlike you, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named used his wand to kill. This means, young Lord, that you control what you want to use your powers for. For good or for ill, it is up to you."

Harry nodded grimly before giving the old wandmaker a smile.

"Thanks for the advise, Mr. Ollivander. I promise that I'll use my powers for the good of the Wizarding World if I have anything to say about it. I'm not about to go into wanton slaughter and become the man who orphaned me from my parents. Rest assured, I will take your advice to heart." Harry vowed with a determined look on his face. He looked at Zieg who was waiting for him to leave. "Let's go, Zieg, we have some more shopping to do."

Harry left the shop, leaving Snape behind. He was about to leave when Ollivander's voice stopped him.

"Severus, make sure that you guide young Mr. Potter well as he goes through his education at Hogwarts. The power he wields is immense and both young Riddle and Dumbledore couldn't hold a candle to his potential. Guide him well, Professor Snape, that he doesn't follow the man that led to his current life and yours." Ollivander whispered.

"You have my solemn promise, Garrick." vowed Snape before leaving the shop to catch up to the young Potter who was smiling in the corner, waiting for him.

He didn't see Ollivander's glowing eyes watch him exit his shop.

* * *

Harry entered Madam Malkin's shop for the second time after the creation of his…wand at Ollivander's. Since he already had everything except for his school robes, Snape guided him accordingly for their last stop of the day.

"Hogwarts, dear?" asked the kindly matron as she flicked her wand causing a stool to appear beside a blonde boy who was getting fitted for his robes.

"Yes, ma'am." said Harry before looking at Snape who was eyeing the blonde boy with a raised eyebrow. "Professor Snape, is there anything in the list that I should tell Madam Malkin about?"

"She knows what is needed, Mr. Potter. Get fitted and I will wait outside." Snape said before exiting the store, his cape billowing behind him.

"Yes, sir." said Harry with a nod before taking his place in the second stool behind the blonde. Malkin flicked her wand again causing a measuring tape to fly around him, taking his numbers.

"Hogwarts too?" asked the blonde.

"Yes," Harry replied with a smile. This was the first wizard his age he met. "I daresay you are going there as well?"

"Yes, though I wish there was a faster way to do this. I want to get this done as soon as possible since I want to head over to the Quidditch store. The new Nimbus model came out and I want to see it myself." the blonde said with a sniff as he eyed the flying measuring tape that just finished getting the number from his neck.

"Ah, Quidditch. Heard of the sport but never tried it myself. I don't think the place where I'm currently living is…well-equipped to deal with a flying broom." said Harry with a twitch of his lips, imaging how the Dursleys would react with him flying around with a broom.

"Why? You don't need a special place to fly around in a broom unless, of course, you want to play Quidditch with a team." the blonde asked curiously.

"I live in a…muggle neighborhood. I don't think my relatives would take it kindly if I flaunted my magic in front of them." Harry said with a grin on his face. He noticed the blonde frown at the revelation. "Something wrong?"

"You're not a muggleborn, are you?" the blonde asked, his frown getting bigger. Harry quirked an eyebrow at him. Ah, this boy was a pureblood. Interesting.

"Muggle-raised if you want to be technical about it. I am a half-blood by nature though I can easily be a pureblood considering my mother was a muggleborn witch."

"What's your name?" the boy asked, no longer frowning.

"Isn't it polite to give your name first before asking someone for it?" Harry fired back, smirking after seeing the blonde blush at the reprimand. "That aside, my name is Harry, you are?"

"My name is Draco Malfoy. Nice to meet you, Harry." said Draco while giving the young Potter Lord a scrutinizing look before nodding, seemingly happy at what he saw.

"Nice to meet you too, Mr. Malfoy." Harry said with a smile on his face.

"Please, call me Draco. My father is Mr. Malfoy." Draco said with a sniff causing Harry to chuckle.

"I agree. You don't look like a _Mister_ as of yet." Harry quipped making Draco blush in embarrassment. "Anyway, are you here with a professor from Hogwarts?"

"No, only muggleborn and half-bloods who aren't aware of magic require assistance from a professor to help them get accustomed to the change in culture." Draco said with a sniff.

"You don't really like muggleborns that much, don't you?" Harry pointed out causing Draco to grimace.

"I have nothing against muggleborns in general though I heard stories how muggles treat wizards. I also heard from a friend of mine who is now in his third year at Hogwarts that muggleborn students tend to push their view of the world instead of acknowledging our traditions. It's not right since we aren't forcing them to change their views to ours." Draco said with a bit of disdain in his voice.

"Ah, I understand where you're getting at. Those types of people have a…superiority complex of sorts. They think that they are always right and the others are wrong. The best way to deal with those kinds of people is just to ignore them. Trying to change their view of the world would only lead to unwanted debate that would take years to end." Harry quipped. Vernon and Dudley were the perfect examples of people with superiority complex.

"You have a point there." Draco said, understanding what Harry was getting at. "By the way, what's your family name. I doubt your just Harry."

"How inquisitive of you, Draco Malfoy." Harry said with a chuckle. "If you promise me not to make a nuisance of yourself after hearing my full name, then I will tell you."

"I promise." Draco vowed. Harry nodded.

"My full name is Harry James Potter." said Harry causing Draco's eyes to bulge out of their sockets.

"The Boy-Who-Lived?" Draco breathed out in awe, not aware that he having conversation with a well-known figure.

"Please, those stories about me are mere exaggerations. Take them with a grain of salt and leave it at that. For me, I'm just plain old Harry Potter. Nothing more, nothing else." Harry said with a roll of his eyes causing Draco to chuckle at him.

"Sorry to burst your bubble, Harry, but you will never be 'just plain old Harry' as you so eloquently put it. Considering your stature in our world, they wouldn't leave you alone." Draco said, a large grin forming on his face when he saw the look of irritation on Potter's face. He definitely liked him.

"You're not going to go all fan boy on me, are you?" Harry asked as he eyed the blonde aristocrat with a bit of fear. Fan girls he could deal with, fan boys, on the other hand, was scary. He didn't know his sexual orientation as of yet due to the lack of interaction but he wasn't prepared to have fans from both sexes even if he had nothing against those kinds of people.

"Merlin no!" Draco said with a haughty sniff. "You're famous because of what you did. I can be just as famous considering who my family is."

"I take it that you Malfoys are something special in the Wizarding World?" asked Harry with a raised eyebrow. Draco was a ponce but he was a likable ponce.

"Hm, you could say that. Let's just say that my father has the ear of the Minister of Magic and leave it at that." said Draco slyly, not revealing any more information to his new friend.

"Ah, politics." Harry said with an understanding nod.

"Exactly." the blonde said with a nod before giving Harry a speculative look. "You know, Harry, you're quite different from what people portrayed you to be."

"Oh? And how do people portray me as?" Harry asked sarcastically causing Draco to grin at him.

"Oh I don't know. That you live in an enchanted castle, fighting dragons and magical beasts before breakfast, saving damsels in distress, and a pompous brat bent on world domination. The usual." Draco informed his new friend. It was exaggeration of course but it was kind of fun poking fun at him since this was quite new to him.

"Ah, my adoring fans. How they love me so." Harry said with a roll of his eyes garnering an amused chuckle from the blonde. "Please, Draco. Those are mere fantasies compared to the real me. Before Professor Snape came to tell me a bit of an introduction about the magical world, I was content to live my life as a muggle, trying to finish school and make a name for myself. All those stories you heard are just that…stories."

"Quite right." Draco said with a nod before jumping off his stool when Madam Malkin informed him that he was all done. He held out his hand to Harry who took it. "Nice to meet you, Harry. Hope we meet again at Hogwarts."

"Count on it, Draco. If you have time, look me up at the train. We can continue our talk from there."

"Definitely. Well, cheers!" Draco said as farewell before leaving the shop towards the Quidditch store.

"You handled that quite well." Snape voice reached Harry's ears causing him to turn his head around. He saw Snape cancel whatever invisibility spell he used to listen in on the conversation.

"Professor Snape." Harry greeted the man with not a hint of surprise on his face since he knew that the man was there the whole time. His telepathy allowed him to pick up the various minds of people around him. Despite being properly shielded, Snape's mind was quite visible in his mental spectrum. "I hope it is not a habit of Hogwarts Professor to spy on a student's conversation." He said with a smirk on his face.

"Not when it doesn't concern such a prominent figure in our world." Snape rebutted, his lips twitching in amusement. "You handled the young Malfoy quite well. My congratulations. I'm glad to see that my assumption of your intelligence wasn't misplaced."

"You would me, sir." Harry said with a fake grimace that made Snape's lips twitch some more. "I know of people like him. Just treat them right and they will treat you with respect. Don't step on their belief and they won't annoy you for it. Besides, Draco might be a ponce but he IS a likable ponce."

"That he is." Snape said, quite amused if his smirk was anything to go by. "Draco is my godson and I'm quite happy that he made friends with someone with a mature outlook in life. I need to warn you, however, that Malfoy Sr., is not the same as his son."

"A warning, sir?" asked Harry as he cocked his head to the side in confusion.

"Let's just say that Lucius Malfoy, Draco's father, played a large role during the First Wizarding War. It is also interesting to note that he isn't on your parents' side of the fence."

"Ah," Harry said with understanding. "I see where you're getting at, professor. Thanks for the warning. I'll make sure I watch where I'm stepping if the time comes when I do meet Draco's father. Considering how I want to be friends with the blonde ponce, such a meeting is inevitable."

"Quite." Snape said with a nod. "I am not going to control who you are to be friends with, Mr. Potter, but I suggest that you see with your head and not with your heart. There are things in the Wizarding World that is not what they seem."

"Thanks for the warning, professor. I will make sure that I thread carefully." Harry said with a smile. He wasn't afraid of meeting the followers of Voldemort. On the contrary, he was so looking forward to it.

* * *

**End of chapter 6**

**Please leave a comment or a review.  
**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Belgariad. **

**Chapter 7: Train Talk**

Harry spent the next two weeks before going to Hogwarts experimenting with his staff and digging through the archives to find out more about what happened to his family.

When he got home after his shopping trip with Professor Snape, in which the Potion Master was kind enough to drop him off - not that Harry cared anyway since he could just teleport home, not that Snape needed to know that; he immediately started immersing himself in the first year books in the Hogwarts Curriculum to know what he would be facing in advance.

If Harry was honest with himself, he was a bit disappointed to learn that most of the lessons in his first year classes would be focusing on the basics, mostly on the do's and don'ts of magic, well, maybe except for Potions, Herbology, and Astronomy since all three subjects required hands-on experience as part of their basic curriculum.

Since he wasn't used to using magic with a wand, Harry decided to use this time to get himself acquainted with wand use.

Being an emancipated minor, and a young lord to boot, Harry knew that the trackers the Ministry of Magic enforced on underage witches and wizards didn't have a hold on him so using his wand and doing spells wouldn't get him into any trouble. Not that he was worried since the wards he placed around Number Four Privet Drive ensured that no magic inside would be detectable outside.

Harry spent a whole week getting familiar with wand-based magic and couldn't help but be happy with the bond he had with his magical foci.

In wand mode (as Harry loved to call it), it was quite powerful. Unlike his Mithril Ring, the wand-staff was quite powerful and his _Reducto_ spell proved that fact. The Levitation Spell practically turned a small rock into a rocket and Harry had a feeling that it was currently floating in space without a care in the world.

Because of that, Harry started fine tuning his control, even going so far as using his skill in sensing magic to determine how much power he was putting in a spell and adjusting it as necessary. It took three days for him to be aware of the amount of magic he used before finally practicing the lessons in his books.

Transfiguration was his favorite since there was something exhilarating about turning one item into another using nothing but magic. Charms was his next favorite, but unlike Transfiguration, Harry studied the effect of the spell and made a special point to practice its counterpart using Sorcery. He was training both of his powers to avoid overspecialization.

Potions wasn't a challenge since every recipe there was just basic and he already mastered the basic preparation in potion brewing.

In staff mode, Harry discovered that he didn't need incantations or intricate movements to produce a spell. It was a point-and-shoot type of thing. All he needed to do was visualize or think about the spell, push magic into his staff, and voila, instant results. He had fun transfiguring rocks into random items with every wave of his staff in a small forest clearing a few miles east of Privet Drive which he picked because it was far from civilization for anyone to notice his spell practice.

Another important discovery was how his staff could amplify his sorcery to perform certain feats that he was previously incapable of. Before he had his staff, he couldn't create objects bigger than his body. With his staff, he was surprised that he was able to pull off creating a very large boulder twice his size.

This brought another round of experimentations with his staff and used it with sorcery.

With his staff in hand, he could practically access every mind in a 10 kilometer radius, unlike the 10 meter limit he had without it. He didn't try it again though since having hundreds of voices inside his head resulted in a rather painful migraine that took three potions to remove.

Another peculiarity about his staff was having a mind of its own.

After one painful episode of accidentally letting go of his staff during one of his experiments, the magical foci simply glowed and floated back to his hand. There were also times that the staff would just float if Harry let go of it and follow him around like a puppy. After that, it was quite rare for the staff to remain motionless when not in use. It would just float around happily without a care in the world. Zieg had fun playing tag with it a few times making Harry look at the two with amusement.

In regards to his research about the First Wizarding War, Harry deferred to Griphook to help him acquire the necessary materials to find out what really happened. Thankfully, his goblin friend had a contact in the Ministry archives so it was three days later after his initial request that Harry received a shrunken trunk full of newspaper clippings, trial records, and even Auror reports from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement during the war. It was a treasure trove of information that Harry immediately dove into with gusto.

It took a week for Harry to read through everything and he arrived at the following conclusion:

First, the First Wizarding War dragged so long because the wizarding public was afraid. They didn't realize the fact that they outnumbered Voldemort and his Death Eaters by 50 to 1. If they just banded together then Voldemort wouldn't have grown too powerful to stop.

Second, the Wizarding World didn't move without someone guiding them. Harry likened them to sheep. Without the shepherd leading them, they would be hopelessly lost and eaten by the wolves. If it wasn't for him stopping Voldemort, Wizarding Britain would have been in ruins.

Third, quite a lot of the purebloods who sided with Voldemort got a free-card out of prison because they pleaded of being controlled by the _Imperius Curse_. Harry read that the trial didn't incorporate the use of _Veritaserum_, a very powerful truth potion. Three drops of _Veritaserum_ and the Death Eaters would be spilling their guts with the truth the public wanted and needed to hear.

In connection to this, Harry discovered that Sirius Black didn't get a trial. He was immediately chucked into prison courtesy of Minister Bagnold and Bartemus Crouch. It was quite possible that Sirius was innocent since the whole blowing-up-Pettigrew-and-twelve-muggles thing was too stupid to even be considered. Really, if the explosion caused the twelve muggles to die with their bodies intact, how come Peter died with only a finger to show for it? Where was the blood and gore?

Lastly, the public placed too much trust on Albus Dumbledore. Despite being the head of the Wizengamot, the judicial system of the Wizarding World, how come the Death Eaters got off scott-free? If Albus Dumbledore was really the wise and venerable leader they portrayed him to be, why didn't he do his job to make sure that none of the Death Eaters would be terrorizing Wizarding Britain again?

Griphook also included his birth certificate in the trunk. Harry didn't know why it was relevant but when he found out through it that Sirius was his godfather, he was livid.

Thanks to his the many books he read on wizarding history and customs, he knew that being a godfather in the magical world was like a magically-binding contract. To become his godfather legally, Sirius had to swear a magically-binding vow to always love and protect him. There was no way Sirius would out his parents to Voldemort because that would conflict with the vow he took. If Sirius did betray his family then the magic would have killed him on the spot.

Since he was clearly alive, Sirius was innocent and rotting in jail in the company of Dementors. He needed to do something about that and it better be soon.

* * *

It was the morning of September 1 when Harry received an email from Ian Drake, a Technomancer who he traded his Magic-To-Electricity rune set for the Internet spell.

_James, _

_A friend of mine informed me that your Magic-To-Electricity Runic Set is not a patented creation. I suggest that you patent this as soon as possible since it wouldn't do to let someone claim this for their own. As promised, I didn't let anyone know of our trade. I suggest that you register this as soon as possible. _

_Anyway, any new discoveries lately? If you have, let me know._

_Hope to hear from you soon. _

_Cheers,_

_Ian Drake_

_P.S.: The friend who saw the rune set gave me magically-binding vow that she would never reveal it to anyone without your express permission. She discovered it by accident when she noticed the runes on my laptop and deciphered its combination. Toodles._

Harry slapped his head in irritation after reading the mail. Why in the world didn't he think of that? His creation was a feat in the Wizarding World and if he was roughshod with its existence then someone would have claimed it as their own. That would have been a disaster for him since all of his gadgets sported such runes. He immediately forwarded the mail to Griphook since he gave his goblin manager his old laptop so they could communicate easily without having to use the mobile phone.

When the email was sent, he closed his laptop not bothering to turn it off since it wouldn't run out of power anyway, and finished his packing. He had two hours before the train would leave for Hogwarts and he wanted to make sure that he had plenty of time to get there early to get a nice compartment for him to ride in.

* * *

Harry had to raise an eyebrow before he entered the barrier to Platforms 9 and ¾ when he saw a family of red heads waiting just outside with the woman shouting her head off about the location of the hidden train station. He had to give it to the woman; she was treading a fine line before being apprehended by Aurors for disregarding the Statute of Secrecy.

Really, shouting 'Platform 9 and ¾' in the middle of King's Cross with a lot of muggles around wasn't a good idea.

Luckily, he was an hour early from departure and he was able to find a compartment at the back of the train. His mobile phone rang as he heaved his lightened trunk over to the compartment on top of his seat. He pulled it out and saw that it was Griphook.

"Hello, Griphook." Harry greeted the goblin through the speaker54wqas578912. "Did you get the email I sent you?"

"_Yes I did, Harry, which is the reason why I called. This is an ingenious way of using runes. Why in the world did you wait this long to have it patented. Someone could easily make millions with this."_

"My bad. If my friend from New York didn't tell me that then someone would have. Can you patent it for me?"

"_Consider it done. However, I need the schematics of the rune matrix before I can have it patented by the Ministry. Which name do you want me to use?"_

"Wait a minute, Griphook. Let me send it to you right now. I have all my creations scanned on my laptop." said Harry before pulling out his laptop from his backpack. He used sorcery to float the computer at chest level and replaced the phone back to his ear. "Alright, I got everything ready. Do you want me to send everything or just the finished product?"

"_Hm, send me the schematics and a scan of the completed array. That should be enough to have it patented without giving me a headache."_

"Alright, let me prepare it now." Harry attached the file that contained all his notes on the email and sent it to the goblin. "Sent. Please tell me when you get it. By the way, use my other persona on the patent. I don't want my name attached to anything so early in the game."

"_Good idea. I got your email. Let me check the file now. Goodness, this is practically the most innovative way to use runes. I see that you used our goblin researcher's idea on magic having a destructive affect on muggle electricity."_

"Yeah. After I tested my magic on my cousin's game console, which blew up by the way, I had a breakthrough in determining that it was really electricity causing muggle technology to self-destruct. It was smooth sailing after that and creating the rune array to convert magic to electricity to avoid overpowering the machine was relatively easy. I was kind of surprised that others didn't think of this before."

"_Blame it on their shortsightedness. I'll have this patented by the end of the day. Anything else, Harry?"_

"None that I could think of right now. Thanks a bunch, Griphook. Bye for now." said Harry before ending the call and canceled the levitation on the laptop before placing it beside him. It was a good idea too since it was a few seconds later that he had a visitor.

"There you are! I've been looking all over for you!" said Draco as he entered the compartment with two others.

"Glad to see you too, Drake." said Harry with a smile. It was nice to see his first wizarding friend, not counting the goblins of course. Besides, he didn't want to spend the commute to Hogwarts with only his books for company.

"Drake?" Draco asked when he heard his new nickname.

"Well, it sounds better than Draco. They mean the same thing anyway, Draco and Drake both means Dragon." Harry pointed out. "Who's brute one and brute two?"

This caused Draco to laugh before sitting down on his seat. The two brutes merely stood by the door as if guarding it. From their menacing looks, it was a good assumption.

"The one on the left, brute one as you put it, is Crabbe and the other one, brute two, is Goyle. They are family friends and my bodyguard of sorts." Draco introduced the two to Harry. "Crabbe, Goyle, meet Harry Potter."

The two merely grunted which made Harry snicker followed closely by Draco.

"Well, they definitely got the bodyguard role down pat. Why you need a bodyguard, much less two, I would never know." Harry commented as he observed the two. They definitely had the muscles for the role though a bit undeveloped considering they were still kids. "Why don't you two sit down? I doubt anyone here would need your muscles. If there are then feel free to show them the error of their ways."

The two grunted again before taking their seats. Crabbe sat beside Draco while Goyle sat beside Harry who merely raised an eyebrow. A brief telepathic probe revealed that they already considered him a friend since he was chummy with Draco. So this meant that he was included in their protective detail. How quaint.

"So Draco, how did your summer go? Did you read your books in advance?" asked Harry curiously. He was curious how purebloods spend their time at home and Draco was the perfect candidate to be interviewed.

"It was boring. Nothing to do but attend parties and hanging out with friends. In fact, quite a few of them will be looking for me. I hope you don't mind getting your 'private' compartment being crowded later." said Draco with an apologetic smile. Harry merely chuckled.

"No need to worry, Drake. If they are your friends then I would like to meet them. Considering I grew up with muggles all my life, I didn't get to meet any witches and wizards my age. It would be a refreshing experience to say the least." Harry mused out loud causing Draco to look at him as if he was crazy.

"I can't believe that you didn't know you were magical before Professor Snape met you. He is my godfather, by the way." Draco said, adding the last part as an afterthought.

"I know. He saw both of us talking in Madam Malkins. He told me that you were his godson. Anyway, you better believe it. Besides, I always have this feeling that something was missing in my life and that something turned out to be magic. I'm just glad that I received my Hogwarts letter or I wouldn't know a thing about my other heritage."

"Harry Potter not getting his Hogwarts letter? The injustice of it all." Draco said in mock-horror before smirking at Harry. "I don't think that would sit well with many of the purebloods in Wizarding Britain. They've been waiting for you to appear for years now. If they found out that you were raised by muggles, there would be an uproar."

"Why would that be? They don't know me after all." Harry asked in confusion.

"They might not know you personally, Harry, but they know of you because of your status as the Boy-Who-Lived. According to my father, you disappeared after you killed You-Know-Who. No one knows where you went and who took you. Any efforts they put into finding you failed, no matter how hard they tried. If they found out that you were raised by your muggle relatives without knowing you were magical then you would have been spirited away and raised by a pureblood family the Ministry decided on." Draco pointed out which caused Harry's eyes to widen.

"Well, that would have been a welcome thought. Too late now considering that I know about magic and here to stay. I'll be attending Hogwarts for the next seven years and stay with my relatives during the summer." Harry paused. "Well, that's the plan anyway."

"I'll invite you to my place this summer." Draco promised. "I'm sure that you'll find it nice to get to know your peers during one of our parties. We, Malfoys, are very famous for our parties."

"That I don't doubt, Drake, considering your father had the Minister by the ear." said Harry with a chuckle. "Your invitation is quite welcome and you can owl me after running it through with your parents. I don't want to intrude, you know."

"Good. That cleared up the air." said Draco in agreement. He definitely like this Harry Potter unlike the descriptions he heard from the Light families. Who knew that the real Harry Potter was an intelligent, unbiased kid. This was definitely to his liking and he was happy that he befriended him. "Anyway, to answer your question, my summer was boring but yes, I did read in advance though I had to limit my spell practice since mother didn't want me to do the spells in the books without someone supervising me. Really, how hard could it be?" Draco said with a scoff.

"Aside from potentially blowing your brains off, causing an explosion, or turning yourself into something inanimate? Nothing serious." Harry said sarcastically which Draco took in good humor.

"Ha ha. Very funny, Harry." Draco snapped before he shivered when the scenarios Harry pointed out happening to him. It was a ghastly image and immediately pushed it to the back of his mind. "How about you? Any studying?"

"Of course, I practically devoured every book after Professor Snape brought me home. I tried a few spells and all seemed to work fine." Harry said casually, downplaying his abilities since he didn't want to show off until he got to Hogwarts.

"What spells?" Draco asked eagerly before a thought occurred to him. "How come you didn't get reprimanded. According to father, all underage wizards and witches living in a muggle neighborhood should be detected upon use of magic."

"Can you keep a secret?" asked Harry, not worried about revealing the third compartment on his trunk. Draco nodded. Harry pointed at the trunk on top of his seat. "My trunk has a secret to it. The third compartment is warded to ensure that no magic is detected by anyone outside. As long as I stay inside while I do magic, the Ministry can't trace it."

"That is absolutely brilliant." Draco exclaimed, not knowing that there was a trunk like that. "Maybe I should get one? How much did it cost?"

"Well, it has three compartments, the first is the normal space-expanded compartment; the second is a small potions laboratory, and the third is the warded space for casting spells. I bought it for 1500 Galleons. Quite a bargain too considering the uses I had for it."

"That's dreadfully expensive." said Draco with a frown. That much money was worth 5 years allowance for him and he doubted his mother or father would dish out that much money for a trunk, though he might be able to sell the idea considering that it had a potions laboratory. Both of his parents knew that he had a knack for brewing.

"It was a worthy investment. I don't want to restrict my magic until I come of age. The trunk is worth every Galleon it costs me to buy and the full potions lab was definitely worth the cost."

"Fine." Draco admitted, grudgingly. "Anyway, what spells did you try out?"

"Well, I tried the levitation charm and the first three transfigurations in the book. I had fun changing stuff in the trunk after mastering them. It was wicked." Harry said with a gleam in his eyes which made Draco grin.

"I tried the levitation charm myself though I didn't get it to work. I know I got the wand movement and pronunciation right but it doesn't work." Draco admitted with a frown on his face.

"Hm, did you visualize the object to float?" Harry asked, pulling up the directions of the spell from his mind.

"I don't think I remembered that part." Draco admitted sheepishly causing Harry to sigh.

"Drake, if you want to master the spell or any spell for that matter then I suggest that you read everything about the spell. The levitation charm has three requirements; incantation, wand movement, and visualization. Why don't you bring out your wand and give it a try." suggested Harry before snapping his fingers causing his wand to appear on his grip. The holster that Ollivander sold him had a neat enchantment that would let your wand appear on your hand with a snap his fingers. Returning it was simple visualization.

"That was wicked. How did you get it to come out like that?" Draco asked with child-like glee on his face. Harry rolled his eyes. He pulled up his sleeves to show Draco the holster.

"I bought this from Ollivander after I got my hand. You should get one too. Anyway," Harry flicked his wand and aimed it towards the floor in between him and young Malfoy. _**"Conjurus!"**_

Three small rocks appeared in a blink causing Draco to look at him in shock before schooling his features.

"You know, if I didn't know any better, you're way to advanced for just reading your first year books, Harry. Conjuration is a third year spell, after all." Draco pointed out as he gave Harry a look. Harry merely grinned and waved his hand dismissively.

"Draco, Draco, Draco. You think a bookworm like me wouldn't succumb to the temptation of buying books above first year. Please, Draco. I like knowledge and how can I resist the temptation that a bookstore offered?"

"Fine." Draco said in agreement before pulling out his wand. He did the swish and flick the spell required and incanted. _**"Winguardiam Leviosa."**_

One of the rocks wobbled but didn't float. Harry immediately saw the problem.

"Before casting the spell, why don't you visualize the rock floating. When you have the image firmly in your mind, do the spell." suggested Harry. He saw Draco close his eyes in deep thought. It was a few seconds later that he opened his eyes and did the spell again.

"_**Winguardiam Leviosa." **_Draco incanted. This time, one of the rocks floated up a few inches before flopping back down on the floor. This improvement made Draco excited. "I did it. Did you see that? I did it!"

"That you did, Draco, but you might want to celebrate _when_ you achieve something like this." Harry did the wand movement, which wasn't necessary but he needed to do it to avoid showing off his true ability, and incanted the spell. _**"Winguardiam Leviosa."**_

Much to the surprise of Draco, and his two bodyguards, the three rocks floated up to eye level before Harry flicked his wand again and guided the rocks to fly around the compartment. The three purebloods were staring at him in awe.

"How in Merlin's balls did you do that?" exclaimed Draco. "That wasn't mere levitation, that was full on telekinesis!"

"No, Draco. That was simple levitation. If you read the chapter on the levitation charm, the author told us that after the subject is levitated, the caster can use his mind and magic to guide the direction where you want the object to float. If you don't believe me then bring out your charms book, turn to page 68 and read the fifth paragraph. What I said should be there." Harry said calmly

Not believing that Harry was right, Draco stood up and had Crabbe pull down his trunk from the top bunk. He rummaged around for a few seconds before pulling out the charms book for first years. He flipped over to the indicated page and read down to the fifth paragraph. Draco had to give Harry an incredulous look when he found out the instructions were there.

"Bloody hell. Don't tell me you got the books memorized." Draco shouted before slamming the book shut.

"I have an eidetic memory. I remember everything I ever read and I can call them up in my mind anytime. Quite useful for a bookwork like me, don't you think." said Harry with a smirk on his face.

"Bloody Ravenclaw." Draco grumbled. "I think we all know where you will be placed after the sorting."

"Why thank you. I did read about the Hogwarts houses and I find Ravenclaw to my liking. I do like knowledge after all." Harry said with an arrogant sniff before a smile broke through his face.

"Alright. At least I know you won't be a Gryffindor. That would have sucked." Draco said with disdain.

"Well, I know I'm brave but I'm not foolhardy enough to jump into an unknown with wands blazing. That would be just stupid." Harry said with a huff. Gryffindor indeed. He wasn't suicidal, thank you very much.

"I know." Draco said with a grin. "That is why I said you're going to be in Ravenclaw. You're too smart to put yourself in danger. Slytherin would be perfect for you too considering you were sly enough to buy the trunk that would allow you to use magic."

"There's nothing about it that indicates being sly, Draco." Harry said condescendingly causing the blonde to huff in irritation. "That is what you call being prepared. Since I found out that the trunk shop offered such features, I took it immediately. All you need to do was ask."

"Alright. Stop with the condescending tone already. You make it sound as if I'm a child." said Draco before he stopped when the train jerked and left the platform. "Finally, I thought we were going to be here all day."

Harry looked at his watch and saw that it was exactly 11AM. Right on time.

"Well, Professor Snape did say that the train would leave the platform at 11 sharp. It just turned 11 so I guess the train is right on time." Harry pointed out before a thought occurred to him. "I wonder if those red heads got into the platform on time. Their mom was spending quite a lot of time in the muggle side of the barrier when I went through it."

"Red heads?" asked Draco with a raised eyebrow causing Harry to nod. "Freckles on their faces?" Harry nodded again. "Lots of children with red hair and freckles on their faces?" Harry nodded for the third time. "Those were the Weasleys. Bloody traitors if you ask me."

The name of the family struck a chord in Harry. That was the same family that betrothed him to their daughter without him knowing about it. Now he knew who they were. Draco saw Harry stiffen upon the mention of the family.

"Something wrong with the Weasleys?" Draco asked curiously. Harry shook his head before giving his blonde friend a smile.

"Not really. I was just surprised since the woman was shouting her head off about the platform in the middle of a muggle crowd. I'm going to be quite surprised if she isn't picked up by Aurors for endangering the Statutes of Secrecy." Harry said, not telling his first wizarding friend what really happened to him concerning the family. He didn't want all of his secrets coming out, after all, until the right time anyway.

"Ah, bloody stupid family if you ask me. They should all be chucked into Azkaban." growled Draco. Harry raised an eyebrow at that comment.

"They aren't really that bad. A bit noisy if you ask me but a typical family, nonetheless." Harry told the blonde who gave him an incredulous look.

"I have nothing against the Weasleys, Harry, but I can't deny the fact that the current patriarch of the family married a woman who came from a family who loved to steal."

"Oh? Do tell?" asked Harry curiously. Draco merely huffed before explaining.

"I have nothing against the Weasleys. The current patriarch, Arthur Weasley is as honorable as they come like the rest of his ancestors. However, his wife, Molly Weasley was a Prewitt before she married Arthur. The Prewitts were well-known thieves. They don't steal outright but it is common knowledge in Wizarding Britain that the Prewitt females would marry a rich husband and end up impoverishing them before the year is out. That is what I thought happened to the current Weasley family, who was once a well-off pureblood family. Now, they lived in a hovel earning minimum wage."

"Wow. That's something you don't learn every day." quipped Harry good-naturedly though his mind was whirling to the betrothal contract. He needed to give Griphook a call later to see if the signature included Arthur Weasley since he didn't get that far down into the contract to remember. If Draco's information was correct about Molly then she definitely had a hand in the creation of the contract and Albus Dumbledore was in on the whole thing.

* * *

It was an hour later that Draco's prediction of visitors came true. Slowly, but surely, one pureblood after another started pouring into their compartment looking for the young Malfoy heir. Harry didn't mind the company. In fact, he found it intriguing as each pureblood kids shared their summer experience with him.

The first he met was Pansy Parkinson, the current heir of the Parkinson family, well, until his mother gives birth to a male heir where she would be set aside from be betrothed to a suitable family deserving of their stature.

After their brief introduction where Pansy immediately latched on to Draco like a leech, much to the blonde's annoyance, the next visitor was Daphne Greengrass and Tracy Davis.

The two were best friends since childhood since both their parents shared the same relationship.

Daphne Greengrass was the epitome of pureblood persona. She was cold, aloof, and blunt to a fault. Thanks to Harry's telepathy probe, he found out that it was mostly a mask because his parents warned her that quite a lot of students in Hogwarts, especially among the male population, would be clamoring around to get her attention due to her station of being the Greengrass heir, the sole heir to the head of the Neutral families in this side of Wizarding Britain.

That was one information that Harry found interesting. It would seem that there were three sides to the First Wizarding War. Aside from the Light and Dark families, there were also Neutral families who chose to stay out of the chaos. He decided to ask Daphne later on what was entailed to being a neutral, well, after he befriends her of course.

Tracy Davis was the total opposite of her best friend. She was loud, unnaturally happy, and of course, quite talkative. Harry briefly wondered how she came to befriend Daphne who was quite content to just stay in the background and listen to the conversation. He later realized that it was their by-play of sorts. Tracy would attract attention while Daphne would observe and act accordingly. It was a full-proof plan of self-preservation.

It was during the course of their conversation that he found out that Tracy was a half-blood like him and technically a pureblood. Her father was a pureblood but her mother was a muggleborn witch.

With the seven of them in one compartment, it would have been a tight fit. Thankfully, the Hogwarts Express had an enchantment of sorts so each compartment would expand to accommodate the number of students it contained. Harry was happy with the space since one of Draco's bodyguards stuck to him like glue.

They were in the middle of their discussion on what subjects they liked when the woman with a trolley laden with wizarding sweets stopped by and asked if they wanted to get someone off the carts. Harry stood up from his seat and addressed the group.

"Any requests? I'm somewhat hungry so I'm going to see what she has in that cart of hers." asked Harry as he looked at everyone in the compartment.

"Get me some Chocolate Frog, please? I'm feeling lucky maybe I can get the last card to complete my collection." said Draco as he pulled two Galleons from his pockets.

"My treat, Drake." said Harry, not accepting the money from the blonde who just nodded his head since it was impolite to decline an offer from a respectable figure. "Anyone else? As I said, my treat."

"Cauldron Cakes for me, love." said Tracy before giving him a kiss on his cheek which made Harry blush a bit. One could never fault Tracy's forwardness and he knew that it was just a play of sorts, not an attraction.

"Chocolate Frogs for me as well." said Daphne in her cool voice.

"Daphne has a sweet tooth." Tracy sang out loud causing everyone to snicker. Her best friend smacked her on the back of the head that made her stop.

"Pansy?" asked Harry, looking at the girl who was giving Draco loving looks.

"None for me thanks. I'm on a diet." Pansy said distractedly.

"Diet, huh?" noted Harry as he eyed Pansy's rather anorexic body. He turned his attention to Crabbe and Goyle. "Brute one and two, any orders?"

When he only got a grunt from the two, he turned to Draco for help.

"Just buy them something. They aren't picky. They eat anything that's edible." Draco said dismissively as he tried to remove Pansy latching on his arm.

"They eat _anything_, period!" Tracy said with a snicker causing the two brutes to blush.

"Gotcha. Back in a minute." said Harry with a nod before walking out of the compartment and towards the woman who gave him a smile. "Good afternoon, ma'am."

"Good afternoon, dear. Anything off the carts?" asked the woman, waving a hand to her cart laden with sweets.

"The name's Harry ma'am, and yes, I got a few orders from my friends." said Harry with a smile as he started pulling out sweets from the carts. He also pulled out a dozen Butterbeers from the stash.

"Then you can call me Helen. Nice to meet you, Harry." said Helen with a smile. This was one of the politest boy she had met and took to him immediately. If only most of the children were like him, it would make her life a bit easier selling sweets to the students.

"Nice to meet you too, Helen." Harry smile before checking out the sweets he got from the carts. After a quick inventory, he decided that he got everything and then some. He pulled out five Galleons from his pocket, more than enough to pay for his purchases and handed it over to the woman who was about to pull some coins out of her pocket. "Keep the change, Helen."

"Why thank you, dear." said Helen with a warm smile and gave Harry a kiss on the cheek causing him to blush again. What's with woman and their darn kisses. Sheesh.

He flicked his hand out and conjured a basket before placing the sweets and drinks he bought inside. When he was done, not noticing the bug-eyed looks Helen was giving him, he returned his wand back to its holster and was about to lift up the basket when a boy and a girl interrupted him.

"Excuse me, have you seen a toad?" asked the girl. "Neville here lost his pet toad during the ride. We were hoping that you might have seen something."

"Sorry," Harry said with a shake of his head. "Didn't see one. Have you tried asking an upperclassman to summon it for you. I read there's a spell for that."

"Really? I didn't know that. Thank you for your help." said the girl brightly before pulling the somewhat chubby boy away.

"Y-yes. T-thank you." said Neville as he was towed away by an excitable bushy-haired girl.

"Weird girl." Harry mused before taking up the basket of sweets and going back inside the compartment. "I got the food! Let's dig in!"

"Hungry much." commented Daphne as she eyed the basket Harry was carrying. Harry placed it down on the floor for everyone to grab their orders.

"Of course, I'm a growing lad, after all." said Harry as he puffed out his chest. Since he was wearing a muscle shirt, his well-developed chest was quite visible causing Daphne and Tracy to blush crimson.

* * *

It was almost evening when the conductor announced that they would be arriving in Hogsmeade Station in 10 minutes and instructed all the students to switch to their uniforms before disembarking.

Being the polite wizard he was, Harry ushered the boys out of the compartment to an empty one beside theirs to change into their uniforms. The girls were giving him grateful looks since they didn't want to go naked in front of boys.

When the train finally made its stop at Hogsmeade Station, the conductor told everyone to leave their luggage on the train since they would be magically taken to the castle and to their respective rooms after the sorting. They had to wait for the crowd to thin out before disembarking. Harry saw Hagrid bellowing for the first years to follow him.

"Hello, Hagrid." Harry greeted the giant as he approached.

"Glad ter see yah, Harry. How was the trip?" asked the giant as he ushered a few first years into a boat.

"Trip was good. I met a few friends during the ride so I wasn't bored and alone. Are we taking the boats to school?" said Harry as he eyed the small boat moored at the side of the lake.

"Aye. Only four to a boat. Best if you and your friends get in. The weather is in a might foul mood so it's best to be off before it gets worst."

"Sure thing, Hagrid. See you at Hogwarts." said Harry as he stepped onto one of the empty boats followed by Draco, and by extension, Pansy, and one of his bodyguard, Crabbe. Goyle, Daphne, and Tracy took the boat next to them joined later by a dark-skinned boy.

It was a few minutes later that Hagrid bellowed for them all to depart and the boats, as if following his orders, slowly floated out into the lake and followed the boat where Hagrid was standing on. The boat ride was not as comfortable as anyone would think since the weather turned cold in the middle of their journey.

Thankfully, Harry knew how to cast the warming charm so he offered to cast it for the Draco, Pansy, and Crabbe who looked at him in thanks, visibly sighing when their body temperature turned to normal.

Harry looked over his shoulder to see Daphne and Tracy huddled together, shivering. Taking a bit of an aim, he fired off four warming charms that hit the occupants of the next boat dead on. It was Tracy who saw him aiming his wand at them when she felt the welcome warmth cover her like a cocoon. She nudged at Daphne and pointed at Harry who was grinning at them cheekily while holding his wand. Daphne mouthed a 'thank you' which Harry replied with a mouthed 'you're welcome'.

It was a few minutes later that Harry finally saw Hogwarts. The castle was gracefully standing beside the lake, its majestic towers glowing dimly under the night sky. It was a breathtaking sight that Harry immediately fell in love with. It was twenty minutes later that they finally docked and ushered out of the boats by Hagrid before being escorted to the front of a large double-door where a stern, elderly woman was standing in wait.

"The first years, Professor McGonagall." said Hagrid, presenting the first years to her. Harry recognized the name since it was her he wrote the letter to after he received his Hogwarts letter.

"Thank you, Hagrid." McGonagall said with a smile, which still looked stern. "First years, follow me please."

She led the first year to an anteroom just outside the Great Hall before addressing everyone.

"My name is Professor Minerva McGonagall, Transfiguration Professor and Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Later, you will be sorted into the different house of Hogwarts – Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. You will wait here until you are called. Please remain composed and silent."

With that, she left the room to let the first years wait things out before the sorting would commence.

Harry was leaning on the wall with Pansy, Draco, and Crabbe when the rest of the gang approached.

"Thanks for the warming charm earlier, love." said Tracy with a smile. "You have impeccable aim."

"I _aim_ to please, hun." said Harry cheekily causing Tracy to give him a good-natured slap on the shoulder. He saw the dark-skinned boy beside her. "Care to introduce us to your friend, Tracy?"

"Oh, this is Blaise Zabini, one of our childhood friends." said Tracy as she introduced the boy to Harry. "Blaise, this is Harry Potter."

Blaise gave Harry a surprised look before composing himself and offered a hand which Harry took with a shake.

"Nice to meet you, Harry. Thank you for the warming charm earlier. Tracy told us that it was you who cast the spell." Blaise said with a grin which Harry returned. "Considering how far we were from your boat, you have very good aim."

"As I told Tracy earlier, I _aim_ to please, Blaise." said Harry with a grin at Tracy who merely stuck a tongue out at him causing him to chuckle. "So I guess you know everyone already?"

"Yes. As you may have noticed, almost all pureblood families know each other for one reason or the other. We all had play dates when we were still toddlers and met a few times at parties." Blaise answered before turning to Draco. "Glad to see you, Draco."

"Blaise." Draco said with a nod. "I thought your mother was planning to cart you off to Durmstrang."

Blaise made a face before answering.

"Yes she was but your mother convinced her otherwise. Thank her for me, would you?"

"I will. I was planning to send her an owl tomorrow to inform her of the train ride and the sorting." Draco replied with a nod.

"Ah. Slytherin then." Blaise said cryptically.

"Were there any doubts?" said Draco puffing up his chest causing everyone to give him an amused look. Harry, however, was confused.

"You already know what house you're going to be sorted into, Drake?" Harry asked, confused. Blaise snickered at the nickname.

"Not really but all Malfoys were Slytherins and I wouldn't want it any other way." Draco informed his new friend.

"Hm, so the sorting would put you in the house where your family was?" Harry asked, digging for answers.

"Not really but in most cases, the sorting would end up placing you in a house where you are most suited to. Since it only comes to reason that your families shape you to be something similar to them, it may the reason why most sorting would put you where your family was if they attended Hogwarts." Blaise supplied causing Harry to nod in understanding. It was basic psychology, after all.

"Ah, I understand." said Harry before realizing something. He looked at Draco. "So this is why you said I was a shoe in for Gryffindor because of my parents?"

"Correct. However, I think you're going to be placed in another house since you don't display any Gryffindor courage." Draco said, couldn't resist jabbing at his friend.

"Really, Drake. As I told you earlier, I have courage in spades but I'm not stupid enough to jump into a situation with wand blazing that could get me killed. I am logical, not suicidal." Harry pointed out causing Blaise to chuckle."

"I wouldn't be surprised if you are sorted into Ravenclaw, Harry." Blaise said with a grin.

"That's what I told him." quipped Draco.

"What he said. I don't mind being Ravenclaw. If I was to base my sorting according to the qualities of the houses, I would say that I would either be placed in Ravenclaw or Slytherin."

"Not Gryffindor?" asked Daphne with a raised eyebrow.

"Possible but not probable. I am courageous but I let my mind dictate my actions, not my heart. From what I read in _Hogwarts: A History_, Gryffindors are courageous to a fault which is not for me. Hufflepuffs are hardworking and loyal. I am not for that house because my loyalty to people depends on their actions and not their background. Ravenclaw, I am quite sure because I am logical and I prize knowledge above everything else. Slytherin is a possible since I tend to think things through to make sure that I stand on top instead of down below."

"Hm, a logical mind indeed." said Daphne with a hum. "I vote that you will be sorted to Ravenclaw then."

"I stick to my strengths, Daph." Harry quipped.

"Daph?" the Greengrass heir asked coldly.

"Daphne is a mouthful so I dub you as Daph from now on." Harry explained with a cheeky grin. Daphne was about to retort but Draco stopped her.

"You might as well drop it, Greengrass. He dubbed me as Drake earlier. From the looks of it, any names with two syllables is a mouthful for our resident celebrity." Draco said as he eyed Harry who was giving him an indignant look.

"Celebrity, I am not, Drake." Harry snarked.

"Celebrity, you are, Harry Potter." Draco rebutted with a grin. However, the mention of his name caught the attention of the masses. Everyone turned to Harry and gave him different looks ranging from disbelief to awe. Of course, Draco saw that and couldn't help but rub it in. "See?"

"If you didn't open your big mouth then they wouldn't be staring at me like a side of beef." Harry said with a sniff, pointedly ignoring the looks he was being given.

"Sorry to say this to you, Harry dear, but you ARE a celebrity. Your name would be likely called out from the crowd during the sorting so everyone will know that Harry Potter has finally come to Hogwarts." Pansy pointed out. The group gave her disbelieving looks. "What?"

"You know, Pansy, if I didn't know any better, I would say that you are hiding something in that pretty little head of yours." Tracy said with a grin.

"_You know_, Tracy, I may act like an idiot by I am far from one. Besides, why show your strength to people you don't know. Better to keep it hidden and let it out when they least expects it." Pansy said with a huff before continuing. "Not that I mind acting like an idiot around my Drakey-poo. He is just so cute!"

"Definitely a Slytherin." Harry couldn't help but blurt out.

"And don't you forget it, Potter." Pansy said with a pleased look on her face as she latched on to Draco who was vainly trying to let her release his grip on him.

* * *

**End of chapter 7. **

**Please leave a comment or a review. **


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Belgariad**

**Chapter 8: Hoggy Hogwarts**

Harry was grateful for Professor McGonagall when she finally came back into the anteroom and ushered them into the Great Hall to be sorted. The stares he was receiving were getting too unnerving for him and his new friends were trying their best to shield him from it though they failed spectacularly since he was quite tall for his age.

However, he was fortunate, that his peers didn't crowd at him which he was quite thankful for. He didn't know how he would have reacted if they invaded his personal space.

When they were ushered into the Great Hall, Harry couldn't help but look at the ceiling in awe. He could sense a lot of magic in the room and his magical sense was going into overdrive. The enchantment was superb, making the ceiling reflect the night sky outside. The floating candles illuminating the hall were amazing as well. Whatever spell was used; it took a lot of power to pull off.

It was in the Great Hall that Harry finally had the glimpse of the famous Albus Dumbledore seating at the center of the teacher's table. He was quite old, older than everyone else judging from his white hair and beard. Harry could easily feel the power radiating off the man and he was, by far, the strongest magical in the room followed closely by Snape, a diminutive teacher who had a semblance of a goblin, McGonagall, and a teacher wearing a turban, though the latter he had trouble sensing because it seemed that the teacher had two magical cores instead of one. Weird.

It was when that he connected eyes with Dumbledore that he felt a twinge in his mind. The old coot was trying to read his memories but Harry wasn't worried because his subconscious mind rose to the threat and forcefully ejected the intruder out of his mind. Harry saw Dumbledore look at him in surprise before schooling his features. The old man bore watching.

Harry finally focused his attention to Professor McGonagall who explained how they were to be sorted. It would seem that the sorting process involved a rather beat up hat sitting on the stool in the middle of the hall in front of everyone. When their names were called, they were expected to walk up to the stool, sit down, wear the hat, and let it sort you. Quite easy.

So it was then that Harry waited for his turn as he saw his friend being sorted by the…Sorting Hat.

Since they were called in alphabetical order according to their last name, he was probably at the last of the list before Blaise.

Vincent Crabbe was placed into Slytherin which made Harry raise an eyebrow since he didn't know the grunting brute had a mind in that head of his though he had his doubts considering he was Draco's friend.

Tracy was sorted into Slytherin followed by Daphe.

Hermione Granger, the girl he met on the train who was helping Neville look for his toad, got sorted into Gryffindor.

Gregory Goyle, of course, went into Slytherin.

Neville Longbottom, finally knowing his family name thanks to McGonagall calling it out loud, got sorted into Gryffindor. This made Harry's eyes rise to his hairline since he didn't see the boy to be a brave sort.

Draco Malfoy was immediately sorted into Slytherin without any fan fair. Before the hat could touch his well-manicured hair, it shouted the house name as if it was burnt.

Of course, Pansy was placed in Slytherin where she immediately skipped out of the stool and made a beeline for Draco who was sighing in resignation. Poor boy.

Harry tuned out the rest of the sorting, thinking that all of his friends was sorted into Slytherin. He didn't find it odd but it would be a problem in the future. From what he heard in the train, he was the Boy-Who-Lived and expected to be a Light wizard. He knew he wasn't one because of his way of thinking and he wasn't Dark either. He was a walker of both paths putting him firmly in the Gray side of things. He knew that since he wanted to remain friends with Draco, Pansy, Crabbe, Goyle, Daphne, Tracy, and Blaise; he would be facing something akin to the Spanish Inquisition, especially from the Gryffindors since the houses expected him to be part of their group. Stupid really.

"Potter, Harry."

Harry was brought out of his musing when McGonagall called out his name. He pushed himself off the wall he was leaning on and confidently strode to the front of the hall and sat himself on the stool. McGonagall placed the hat on his head and heard a voice.

"_Interesting mind, young Potter. Quite an interesting mind, indeed. It's been a while since a Sorcerer of your caliber graced the magical world."_

"_Hat?"_ Harry mentally asked, quite curious since the hat was the only logical conclusion as to why he was hearing voices all of a sudden.

"_Indeed it is I, Mr. Potter, the Sorting Hat of Hogwarts. Quite a powerful shield you have over your head. Trained by the legendary monks of Tibet. How delightful." _

"_Can we get to the sorting now? I'm quite hungry."_

"_Right, right, let me see. You're full of courage, of yes, full of it but you don't believe in letting your heart rule you. I guess that Gryffindor is out since the House of the Brave would expect it of you. Hufflepuff is out too since you don't give out your trust and loyalty to just about anyone. As it stands, you are only loyal and trusting to a goblin and a mild trust on your new friends, not loyal as of yet, but getting there. Oh no, the House of the Loyal is not the house for you even if your work ethics would be a welcome boon to them."_

"_I kind of arrived at that conclusion myself. Please proceed, Mr. Sorting Hat."_

"_Just Hat will do, Mr. Potter. Let me see. Slytherin is a perfect house for your…more ambitious side but I don't see you living in the House of the Sly since your outlooks in life would clash with the pureblood way though you are tolerant of them. My congratulation to how you handled your new pureblood friends, a master manipulator if I do say so myself."_

"_I resent that."_

"_Be that as it may, you are manipulating them through your actions. You aren't doing it for a dastardly purpose, but to let them lower their guard so you can see their true self. Quite ingenious, really. Anyway, Ravenclaw is the perfect house for you – a logical mind and prized knowledge above everything else. Your power is immense, Mr. Potter, and your drive to learn everything in the world would make it grow a thousand fold. I think we both know where you are going, hm?"_

"_Just get on with it please, I really am hungry."_

"_Right right. Better be…_**RAVENCLAW**_" _the hat shouted the last part. McGonagall took the hat off from his head but not before he heard its parting comment.

"_Take care, young Mr. Potter. Plots after plots are laid out on your path that is not of your devising. Trust your mind, heart, and magic. Those three will not fail you. Good luck, young Sorcerer. You will definitely need it."_

With the hat's warning firmly in his mind, Harry got off from the stool and walked over to the Ravenclaw table, his mind churning with thoughts as he processed the Sorting Hat's advice.

* * *

After the Sorting Feast, Harry finally decided that the Headmaster was either losing his mind, getting senile, or both. It was NOT a good idea to tell a bunch of curious students that the third floor corridor was out of bounds and would cause a gruesome death. Curiosity was a child's strong point after all and it would only stand to reason that quite a few of his peers would be checking the place out just for kicks or a topic of a dare.

Harry shot the Slytherin table a look before following the Ravenclaw Prefect towards their dormitory. He caught Draco's eyes and finally the rest of the group, conveying in them that, despite being in separate houses, they would still be friends and would meet later when they had time. The nod they gave him was reassuring.

Thanks to his eidetic memory and perfect sense of direction, Harry decided that the Ravenclaw house was somewhere in the western wing of the castle. The Ravenclaw prefect stopped in front of a portrait of a woman wearing an expensive looking blue dress.

"Before you can enter the Ravenclaw dormitory, you need to answer a riddle from the portrait of Rowena Ravenclaw herself." said the prefect, indicating the imperious-looking woman staring down at them. The prefect didn't get to say anything else because the portrait of Rowena Ravenclaw, one of the founders of Hogwarts, already started with her riddle to grant them entrance.

"I make you weak at the worst of times. I keep you safe, I keep you fine. I make your hands sweat and your heart grow cold. I visit the weak but seldom the bold. What am I?" said the portrait of Rowena Ravenclaw.

Murmurs were heard as the first years debated what the answer was. The prefect was also deep in thought since the riddle was perfectly new and Lady Ravenclaw didn't recycle the riddles this time so she was stumped. Harry, however, knew the answer so he just blurted it out since he was quite excited to see the insides of the famed Ravenclaw dorm.

"Your fear." Harry drawled causing everyone to look at him as if he was crazy.

"Correct, young Ravenclaw. A fine mind you have and be a worthy addition to my house. Learn from my riddle well, young sorcerer. Enter and welcome." declared Ravenclaw before her portrait swung to the side to reveal an arch that led to the Raven's dorm.

Harry was quite surprised and worried as to how the portrait of Rowena Ravenclaw knew of his status as a Sorcerer. Thankfully, the people who heard that didn't bother to question it, thinking that it was just another title for being a wizard, making Harry sigh in relief.

"Quite a mind you have there, Potter, to be able to answer that riddle." said the prefect as she ushered everyone into the den of the Ravenclaw dorm.

"I heard that riddle once and I just remembered it, that's all." Harry lied with a straight face.

"Right…" drawled the prefect, clearly not believing him in the slightest. "Stand with the rest of your peers. A few announcement will be given before you are shown to your rooms."

Harry nodded and moved over to the line of first years who were giving the Raven's dorm a look of awe. The young Potter lord was quite Impressed and his eyes strayed to the shelf in the corner containing books with titles he didn't recognize. He made a mental note to check them out when he had some free time. He was brought out of his musings when the prefect called for everyone's attention.

"Alright. My name is Penelope Clearwater and I'm a prefect. As you all know, this is the Ravenclaw dorms or the Raven's Nest. This will be your home for the next seven years of your stay here in Hogwarts. Every achievements, whether they be tests, actions, or good conduct will earn us house points. Any unruliness and detentions takes away these points so have a care." said Penelope to the crowd. "As you all know, Ravenclaw is prided as being the house of the intelligent so I expect everyone to do the best in their classes. As you can see, we have our own mini library, a percentage of what the Hogwarts Library holds. The books here cannot be taken out of the dorm and you can only read it here, either here in the den or in the privacy of your room. Make sure that you return them or suffer point reductions if you fail to do so. Lost books require payment and these tomes are quite expensive so be careful."

A perceptive first year raised a hand causing the prefect to nod at him.

"Ma'am, you mentioned respective rooms. Does this mean that we have our own rooms?" asked the first year boy.

"Your name?" Penelope asked.

"Terry Boot, ma'am." said Terry with a bow.

"None of that ma'am stuff. Call me Penelope or Penny for short. As to your question, yes, you are given your own rooms. Unlike the other houses of Hogwarts, Ravenclaw house make sure that you have plenty of space and privacy to pursue your interests. The rooms are magically expanded so you have all the space you need. Shelves are provided for your personal items. Others are allowed to enter your rooms except during curfews. I think it would be obvious that girls are not allowed inside a boy's room and vice versa. If you want to meet then make sure that you do so here in the den or outside your rooms. Clear?"

"Clear!" Terry said with a grin.

"Speaking of curfew, all students must be here in the dorms after dinner, which is 8PM. You are not allowed to leave until the morning." Penelope continued before nodding to Harry who raised his hand. "Yes, Mr. Potter?"

"Thank you, Penelope. In regards to morning curfew. What time are we allowed to leave the dorms?" Harry asked politely.

"Any reason why you want to know?" Penelope raised a curious eyebrow since it was rare for an 11 year old boy to ask such question since boys his age prefer to sleep in and not wake early.

"I usually go for a morning jog as part of my exercise program. I want to know what time we can leave the dorm so I can set my schedule accordingly."

"You exercise?" Penelope asked, quite surprised since most witches and wizards were quite lax on their physical health. Considering how…well built the young Potter was, it was quite obvious that he took his health seriously. She made a mental bet that a lot of girls, and some boys, would be keeping an eye out on Harry Potter's physical development with her being one of them.

"Yes," Harry said with a nod. "I usually go on an hour jog every morning before I start my classes back in the muggle world or to get ready for the day."

"I see. Morning curfew ends at exactly 6AM and breakfast starts at 7:30AM." Penelope informed him, accepting his reasoning as sound.

"Thank you for the information." Harry said with a thankful nod.

"You're welcome, Mr. Potter, however, I suggest that you hold your exercise until the next day. Professor Flitwick, our Head of House, will be having a meeting with the first years tomorrow at 7AM before breakfast to answer all your questions, as well as give you your class schedule for the year." Harry nodded. "Since it's almost 9AM and you just arrived, you will now trot off to your respective rooms. Girls are on the left and boys are on the right. Your rooms will have your name on it. If you need any help, call a house elf and have the elf bring it to my attention. Understood?"

Everyone nodded so without further word, Penelope ushered them over to their respective rooms. Harry found his to be the last room on the first floor.

From the conversation he heard between Penelope and some other first year, there were a total of seven floors in the Ravenclaw dorm, the first years were on the first floor and so on. He couldn't help but give a grudging respect for whoever thought of the system since it was very effective to ensure privacy.

Opening his room, Harry couldn't help but gasp at what was his private abode for the next seven years, well, seven years if things stayed good. He was still deciding whether to stay in Hogwarts or move to other schools. He would have to wait and see what happens before he decides.

Anyway, Harry loved his room the first time he laid eyes on it. It was more spacious than his elf-modified room in Privet Drive. It was twice as large and had everything he needed for his studies. A study area complete with a large table, a comfortable high-back chair, and of course, a window just in front of his desk to relax his eyes if he ever got tired of reading.

Beside his desk was a slightly smaller table with Hedwig's perch on top of it. He knew that his friend was enjoying her flight and would be back by morning. Zieg was off in the Forbidden Forest checking the place out. His familiar would be back later when he got tired of exploring.

The bed was large too, like his four-poster back at the Dursleys. He had his own personal bathroom that made him drool when he went it. It had a swimming-pool like bathtub with various taps that Harry surmised would put something in the tub if ever it was turned on.

Back to his room, he had a large wardrobe where he could keep his muggle and wizarding clothes, as well as half a dozen shelves for his books though he knew that he would just use one or two of them since he didn't want to expose his private collection to the world.

The only thing lacking was a potions laboratory and a practice room but he had his trunk for that so no worries.

He was brought out of his funk when a loud pop reached his ear. He turned around to see Floppy making her way to his trunk.

"Floppy? What are you doing here?" Harry asked incredulously though he felt a bit guilty in forgetting about his friend who had a big hand in the changes in his life.

"Wherever Master Harry goes, Floppy follows. Do you like your room, master?" asked Floppy with an eager grin on her face.

"You mean that you changed my room?" Harry asked in confusion. If this wasn't how his room was suppose to look… "Wait, you did, didn't you?"

"Of course, Master. This room was so barren when I arrived after the elves at the kitchen told me where your room was so I changed it with the Head Elf's blessing. All it had was a bed, a table, a shelf, and a wardrobe. It just wouldn't do so I made the changes to accommodate all your needs. You like?"

"You bet I do. Thanks a lot, Floppy." Harry exclaimed before hugging a blushing elf. "Wait, you're not going to get in trouble with this, are you?"

"No, sir." said Floppy as she tried to get her blushing under control. Her master was just too good for her. "Head elf told me that it was alright. Students can change the room to their liking if they know how. I just took the liberty since I am your personal elf after all."

"Well, that's good. If you have the Head Elf's blessing then that's alright I guess. I take it you're going to be helping out the elves while I'm here in Hogwarts?" Harry asked rhetorically as he watched his elf started levitating his clothes out of the trunk and into the wardrobe.

"Yes, sir, if that is alright with you. I told the Head Elf that I will be preparing your meals and making sure that you're looked after." Floppy declared, snapping her fingers to fit the last of Harry's clothes into the wardrobe. She looked at the books next. "Do you want me to place the books on the shelves, sir?"

"I'll take care of it, Floppy." said Harry with a shake of his head. "But if you want, you can just place my notebooks and my Hogwarts books on the shelves. I'll pick the rest in the morning."

"Aye, sir." said Floppy with a mock-salute before proceeding with her task.

Harry looked fondly at his elf before walking over the lone window in the room and gazed at the amazing view of the Black Lake, thinking about what's waiting for him in the days to come.

* * *

Albus Dumbledore slumped into his chair in the Headmaster's office when the Weasley matriarch exited via Floo. The day was turning out to be a disaster.

It all started when his plan to let Hagrid take Harry to Gringotts and shopping went astray as Minerva assigned Severus to the task. How she got the Potion Master who had a grudge against anything Potter to help the Boy-Who-Lived, he didn't know. But she did it and after interviewing the Potions Professor, he found out that Harry wasn't what he was expecting.

The boy was definitely intelligent and very independent. The memories that Severus shared with him on his interaction with the young Potter was extraordinary and worrisome at the same time. The boy was too intelligent to be led around the nose and too independent to let others dictate his life for him. He expected the Dursleys hatred towards magic to wither away the boy's natural defenses, ensuring that he would be meek and pliable when he came to Hogwarts.

It was obvious that it backfired.

Everything was going well until he got a call from his contact at the Ministry that Molly Weasley was caught by Aurors for almost breaking the Statute of Secrecy. Really, the woman was just suppose to wait for Harry Potter outside the barrier and help him into the train. This simple act would have endeared the boy to her and to her family.

But no, it would seem that Harry knew where the platform was and boarded the train by himself. What's worst, the woman was reported by a concerned pureblood that she was breaking the Secrecy Act. Thankfully, he had the political clout to bail her out without any charges placed on her. Fortunately, her sons didn't face any trouble but they had to accompany their mother to the DMLE as she was getting interrogated as to why she was blabbing the location of the hidden platform in the middle of a muggle crowd.

He had to hand it to Molly; she gave a plausible alibi as to why she was doing it. She claimed that she was being 'charitable' and helping out the muggleborns who didn't know where the platform was by being discreet. How the Auror bought that alibi, he would never now.

After bringing them back to Hogwarts via portkey, another complication appeared in the form of the Sorting Hat. The ancient artifact of the Founders refused to sort young Ronald into Ravenclaw. The hat claimed that the boy didn't have a shred of intelligence in his body and didn't have the patience to read a book and gain knowledge. He needed the boy to be near Potter to steer him to the right families and to remain firmly rooted in the Light side.

Half an hour of arguing with the hat with Molly shouting alongside the two, the hat placed Ronald in Gryffindor without so much as a huff, ensuring that he would never be able to befriend and influence Harry Potter as he liked. Of course, the Weasley matriarch didn't like that at all so another shouting matched ensued only to be halted when he placed a silencing charm on the woman. Really, why was that woman's voice so loud and piercing?

So yeah, everything didn't go smoothly as he thought. Here he was, Albus Dumbledore, slumped in his chair, not knowing what to do for the first time in his life.

Thankfully, he had the foresight of altering the first year class schedule so a majority of it was Ravenclaw and Gryffindor having classes together. He hoped it was enough for young Ronald to make friends with Potter or he would have to make a new plan from scratch.

* * *

Harry woke up at exactly 5AM thanks to his body clock. If he was back in Privet Drive, he would have put on his sweats and indulge in his daily jog around the neighborhood. Since he was now in Hogwarts, he had to revise his schedule. He took to the prefect's advice to forgo exercising for today since their Head of House was going to have a brief introduction down at the den in an hour.

Since he was early, he decided to practice his wand work. He got out of bed and took a shower to wake himself up fully. Donning on a respectable muggle outfit and topped it off with his blue and bronze robes signifying that he was a Ravenclaw, he exited his room and took to a couch in the den before flicking out his hand.

He was busy playing around with a feature using the _Levitation Charm_ when a squeaky voice interrupted his practice.

"Ten points to Ravenclaw for a properly mastered Levitation Charm, Mr. Potter."

Harry swiveled his head to see the diminutive Professor Flitwick look at him with a proud look on his face.

"Good morning, Professor." greeted Harry. The feather he was levitating all over the room paused without his magic guiding it to its next destination.

"Is this your first time to cast the charm, Mr. Potter?" Flitwick asked when he seated himself in one of the available chairs in the den. Harry decided to lie to hide his abilities, for now anyway.

"Yes, professor. You see, I woke up early and didn't have anything better to do. Since there weren't any orders from the prefect or during the feast that magic wasn't allowed to be done inside our dorms, I decided to read the charms book in advance and picked the _Levitation Charm_ to practice."

"And practice you did, my boy." Flitwick said excitedly as he clapped his small hands. "A first year's _Levitation Charm_ would have simply floated the feather. However, a master of that spell can use their magic and focus to guide the subject to any location they wished. How you levitated the feather all over the room showed a mastery of the spell. Well done, Mr. Potter, well done indeed."

"Thank you, professor." Harry said with a smile and a nod of thanks.

"Please keep practicing, Mr. Potter, we still have plenty of time before the scheduled meeting would take place. I'll just stay here reading my book and if you have any questions, feel free to ask."

Harry thought about that offer for a few seconds before finally deciding to enact his plan to slowly reveal his abilities to the world. He read from a book in the Potter Library that it was rare for witches and wizards to 'feel' their magic and those who could were able to control their spells better. It was best if he broached this subject first to avoid suspicions.

"Professor, it is possible for a first-year student to feel magic in general?" asked Harry, getting started with the act.

"Hm, that is a question mostly asked by a fourth or fifth year in our Charms class, Mr. Potter, but to answer your question, yes, it is quite possible for a first year to feel magic but it is rare because even adults witches and wizards seldom have the chance to do so. Why do you ask?" Flitwick asked curiously.

"You see, professor, when I cast the Levitation Charm, I could feel a flow of warmth coming from my gut flow through to my hand and my wand. I could feel the warmth exit my body as I do the spell. Is that normal?"

"No, not normal and definitely rare." Flitwick replied excitedly. "What you just described, Mr. Potter, is how magic flows from our core to our wand. It is surprising for one so young to have this extra sensory talent. It is a boon to your growth as a wizard to have such talent."

"How so, professor?" Harry asked, curious this time since the book didn't explain the talent of feeling magic in detail. Besides, getting the answer from a learned and powerful wizard of Flitwick's stature was something he couldn't pass up.

"Let me put it into perspective, Mr. Potter. Let me use air as an example. Because you can't see air, it is impossible to touch and guide it, even if you can feel it. However, water, on the other hand, is visible and can be easily manipulated to conform to your wishes. You can guide the water to another direction or change water to other compositions. This is the same as magic. What you are doing is 'feeling' magic, like seeing water. With this talent, you can guide your magic to whatever you wish. Control would be easier as well, allowing you to alter the power of your spells with ease. This is a skill that takes decades to master and for you to get it on your first day at Hogwarts is a feat unto itself."

"I see, thank you for answering my question, sir." Harry said gratefully. He decided to take his acting a little further. "Sir, is it possible to cast the _Levitation Charm_ on multiple objects?"

"It is quite possible, Mr. Potter, and the key to that is in the third requirement of the spell, visualization. Simply visualize the objects to conform to the spell. Here, let me provide you with another feather." said Flitwick as he flicked out his wand the same way Harry did with his own. He conjured another feather without a word and placed it on the table.

Harry saw his cue and levitated the feather beside the one his professor created and canceled the charm. Concentrating for a few seconds to keep up with the act, he cast the spell on both feathers. _**"Winguardiam Leviosa!"**_

Both feathers floated up and up until it was over their heads. Flitwick clapped his hands in glee.

"Very good, Mr. Potter, very good. Your command over your mind and magic is amazing for one so young. Now, to move both objects, you need to visualize how you want both of them to move. I suggest that you start by letting the two feathers move together before letting them move in opposite directions and altering each of their movements. Come on, give it a try." Flitwick instructed excitedly.

With a grin, Harry started moving both feathers around the room for a few minutes before deciding that it was enough. He then let the two feathers dance around the room, both in different directions and actions, earning him another ten points from the watching professor.

It was then that the rest of the first years, as well as some of higher years walked in on the two – Harry waving his wand like a baton as both feathers had a mock fight of sorts over his head as Flitwick was clapping his hands in glee as his student showed remarkable control over the spell.

If Harry saw the awed looks from the watchers, he would have groaned.

* * *

**End of Chapter 8**

**Please leave a comment or a review. **


	9. Chapter 9

**My best friend pointed out to me some formatting that I should adhere to. **

**For starters, spells mentioned and not verbally incanted, whether it's in English or Latin/Pseudo-Latin, will be in italic. (e.g. **_Wingardium Leviosa, Levitation Charm)_

**Verbally cast spells will be both in italic and bold (e.g. **_**"Wingardium Leviosa", "Reducto"**_**)**

**Sorcery, if not in the beginning of a sentence, will be written as 'sorcery'**

**Sorcery talents will be in italics (e.g. **_translocation_**)**

**Branches of magic will be written as such – Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, etc. **

**Also, thanks for pointing out my spelling mistake for Wingardium Leviosa... kudos!  
**

**If I miss anything, please my readers, do point it out to me. Thanks. **

**-x-x-x-x-x-x-**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Belgariad**

**Chapter 9: Snob, Am I?**

Harry had been in Hogwarts for a month and couldn't help but be happy on where his education was going. Sure, he could have easily learned everything on his own but organized education was loads better. In most cases, studying magic at Hogwarts was better than self-study since the professors ensured that the students had a thorough grounding in the basics before delving into more advanced stuff.

Because of this, Harry ended up learning the theories behind the spells before actually doing the actual magic. This was similar to how Harry worked the _Levitation Charm_ with the guidance of Professor Flitwick. He could have levitated the feathers using sorcery but magic was a whole new ballgame. Thanks to Flitwicks advice, he could now accomplish the feat of actually mimicking telekinesis using magic without resorting to his other power.

His schedule was also quite welcome since it gave him enough time to do some serious studying on his own.

Classes were properly distributed to ensure that students wouldn't go crazy from education overload - two classes a day, for five days. Weekends were left to the students to use as they see fit which suited Harry just fine.

Because of the freedom this schedule offered, Harry frequented the Hogwarts Library every weekend to the point that the librarian, Madam Pince, gave him a table of his own in one of the secluded corners of the library so he wouldn't be disturbed. It helped that Harry was extra careful of the books that he borrowed that endeared Madam Pince to him.

His 'special' section of the library also became the venue of the impromptu study session he had with his friends when they had the time to get together.

Armed with the basics of what the professors taught in class, he would expound on that foundation by checking out similar subjects. He was learning twice as much and he loved it, and the theories behind the magic allowed him to mimic the same feat using sorcery and then some.

From what Harry determined, the first three years of Hogwarts education was building up the student's magical foundation. Without a solid grounding on the core subjects, the electives offered from third year and up would have been quite complicated for him and his peers.

According to his research, some magical fields were possible because of the core subjects.

For example, Conjuration, the magical art of creating objects using magic alone, requires a thorough grounding in Transfiguration and Charms; the former in manipulating one's magic to change one object to another and the latter to control one's magic to gain a specific result.

Alchemy, which was considered a lost art in magic and the only master of it being the famed Nicholas Flamel, was the combination of Potions, Transfiguration and Charms, as well as some help from Ancient Runes and Arithmancy. Harry wasn't able to pursue any introduction into this branch of magic because Hogwarts lacked the tomes for further study.

Warding was a combination of both Charms and Ancient Runes, with a bit of Arithmancy thrown in for good measures, to analyze wards and to improve them. This was why the Potters were so good at defensive and offensive warding since they had inherent intelligence over these core subjects.

Curse Breaking, an offshoot of Warding, was the magical art of removing curses and breaking wards, though the latter was coined Ward Breaking by those into the profession.

Enchanting was similar to Warding though it required a thorough grounding on Transfiguration to pull it off.

Speaking of classes, Harry was easily the cock-on-the-walk within the first month of classes. Most of his classes were paired off with Gryffindor, though he was thankful that a few of them were with Hufflepuffs, like Herbology, and with Slytherin, like Potions.

Because of this schedule, Harry met a few of his peers that he clearly didn't like. He could stand them, sure, but making friends with them was a whole new ball game to deal with.

The first student that he didn't like was the girl he met on the train, Hermione Granger. The girl would glare at him every time he ended up being the first to master a spell taught in class.

The first instance was when he changed his match to a needle on his first try, and turned it back again after following the steps in the next chapter of the book. Her glare worsened when McGonagall awarded him an additional 20 points for mastering the spell that was supposed to be taught the following month.

All of the classes he shared with Granger followed the same trend so Harry simply ignored the girl. He knew that a confrontation was unavoidable in the future but he couldn't get himself to care. Unlike Granger, his world didn't revolve around her views of him or anyone's view for that matter. He took his parents' word to heart. His life was his to control and no one else.

The second person that he didn't like was Ronald Weasley, the sixth of the Weasley brood, fifth if you count the twins as one person.

Ronald Weasley was like a parasite. Every time he shared a class with him, Weasley would latch on to him like feather to tar. He finally snapped when the boy elbowed Neville Longbottom out of his chair beside Harry just to take his place. A wandless mild pain hex later, Ronald Weasley was on the floor in pain. No one connected it to him since he was on the other end of the hall when that happened.

Another instance that involved Ronald Weasley was during the group session of Flying Lesson under Madam Hooch. It was there that Harry discovered that he was born to fly. He zoomed around the pitch at amazing speeds with Hooch's shouts of 'be careful' following him all the way.

The situation with Ronald Weasley during that time was when he had a spat with Draco Malfoy. The two just couldn't get along; Draco hated Weasley because of the family's blood traitor status and the other hating Malfoy because of being a 'slimy snake'. The two had an impromptu flying match that resulted in Ronald barreling into Harry as he was enjoying a fly. Thankfully, he was able to pull up his broom just in time before becoming a pancake on the ground. Harry didn't retaliate because Madam Hooch dragged Weasley back to the castle by the ear, his shouts of pain quite evident to the people on the pitch even from the distance between the pitch and the Flying Instructor's office in the castle.

Other students he met and enjoyed their company, both his fellow first years and those older than him. He still hanged out with the people he met on the train and mostly spent all the time in the library with the Slytherins with eventually became an end-of-the-day group study session that drew the first years of other houses in when they realized that Harry held no distinction to their houses and reputation.

Harry knew that he was smarter than his peers but they had unique insights to certain subjects that clearly contributed to the discussion, like Draco's view on Potions, Daphne's ideas on Transfiguration, and Pansy's interpretation of the constellations.

Their insights into the subjects made Harry enjoy the study session every time it happened.

He also bonded with his fellow Ravenclaw first years during his evenings when he hanged out in the common room during curfews. Harry would spend time helping his peers on subjects and spells they found difficult. This led to an impromptu study and brainstorming session every evening before going to bed which drew in the higher years and helped Harry give instructions to those who needed it.

Because of this, Ravenclaw raked in a lot of points for doing so well in class.

Harry also met a few Hufflepuffs he liked, especially those who didn't see him as the Boy-Who-Lived. One of them was Cedric Diggory, the 'pretty boy' and 'heartrob' of Hogwarts. The teen was a demon in the Quidditch pitch after seeing the Cedric in action a few times while Harry was doing his exercise within sight of the pitch, Cedric doing aerial stunts that left Harry itching to buy a broom of his own and give it a try.

Harry met Cedric during one of his many runs in the Hogwarts grounds every morning. After pointing to the teen how beneficial exercise was to the body, there were now two people jogging around the grounds every morning. The young Potter Lord definitely liked the company and Diggory was a welcome company.

Two others Harry befriended were the Weasley twins, Fred and George Weasley, though they liked to address themselves as Gred and Forge much to Harry's amusement. The two were always good for a laugh and Harry spent quite a lot of time with them during the weekends when he wasn't in the library sharing ideas on future pranks and similar spells.

It was also during his month of classes and interaction with the teachers that Harry was able to learn more of the different professors.

Professor McGonagall was as stern as she was kind. The Head of the House of the Brave was quite ruthless in the classroom, delivering her lessons in a blunt manner that made it easy for the students to understand. It didn't help that Harry loved Transfiguration and the Transfiguration Mistress was more than happy to answer his questions whenever he found a theory hard to understand or wanted to expound on.

Professor Flitwick was McGonagall's opposite. The diminutive professor was quite bubbly and always happy. He would deliver his lessons with child-like enthusiasm that made every lesson fun and interactive. Again, Harry was always a visitor to Flitwick's office after class to discuss the various workings of spells and magic in general.

Also, it was Professor Flitwick who helped Harry improve his sensing abilities, his stint at the Dueling Circuit made it possible for him to teach the young Potter Lord how to sense the signature of different spells cast, how to detect it and recognize its structure.

Harry enjoyed the instruction and spent a lot of time 'sensing' spells cast by anyone in the vicinity and committing their signature to memory.

Professor Snape confused Harry. One moment he was respectful of him, then another second he would be as spiteful as a bitter fruit bat. The change in personality made Harry dubbed the Potions Professor as bipolar.

Despite the attitude, Harry loved the professor's class since Potions was one of the things that the he loved with a passion and it showed. They had quite a few after-class debates on potion theories during the first month of being in Hogwarts which would result in a very heated argument which left the students within earshot to wonder if they were trying to kill each other.

However, not all professors Harry liked and one of them was Professor Quirrel. How the man became a professor he would never know. The man stutters all throughout the lessons that he was almost impossible to understand. It was thanks to his research and study sessions with the higher years that he understood the spells taught in Defense Against the Dark Arts (lovingly dubbed as DADA by the masses).

Also, there was something off about Quirrel's magic that made Harry apprehensive. It somehow felt familiar but he couldn't place it.

Another annoyance to Harry's life at Hogwarts was the Headmaster himself. The aged wizard's eyes would lock on to Harry every time he was around. Harry didn't feel the Headmaster attempting to enter his mind after the first try during the sorting but there was a calculating gleam in the man's eyes that made Harry nervous. Harry prayed that Dumbledore wasn't a pedophile and if he was then Harry would be transferring school before anyone could say 'magic'.

* * *

After a month from the start of school, the Headmaster and the professors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry were in the Headmaster's office for their monthly meeting.

"The Faculty Meeting is now in session. The first month of school has passed and I would like to hear each professors evaluation of the student's progress and problem areas that needed to be discussed." started Albus as he addressed the professors in front of him. "Let's start with your Minerva. How are your classes coming along? Any problems? Gryffindors alright?"

"I have no problems here Albus though I would like to point out, especially to Severus, to please make sure that Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle attends my class with their wands present. I have to remind them every day to return to their dorm and come back with their wands. I don't know if they're forgetful or just plain uninterested in learning." said McGonagall, looking at a scowling Severus Snape.

"I will…remind them, Minerva. You can be sure of that." Snape promised her.

"Thank you, Severus. Since you are their Head of House, it is only right that I bring this to your attention. Anyway, I don't have any problems with my Gryffindors though I would like to point out that I might need to discipline Ronald Weasley soon if he doesn't get his act straight." she said with a huff. The other teachers were frowning as well.

"Any problem with young Ronald, Minerva?" Albus asked curious though he was inwardly worried. From the news he was getting from the portraits, the boy was turning to be a nuisance. He regretted many times after hearing those news in ordering the boy to befriend Potter.

"That boy is a menace. Not a class goes by that he keeps his mouth shut. Not only is he having problems with his spells, he also rejects others helping him. Also, he has this unhealthy…interest towards Mr. Potter." She said this part with a grimace. "Why, there was this one time that he practically shoved Mr. Longbottom out of his seat so he could take his place beside Mr. Potter. The nerve of the boy. If Augusta hears of this then we are going to have a howler in our hands."

This made everyone wince. Augusta Longbottom's howlers were not as bad as the Weasley Matriarch's volume-wise, but there was a tone to her voice that made it sound like she was berating children. Not a pleasant notion for the professors being given a stern talking to and treated like unruly children.

"I don't think it's that bad to merit punishment, Minerva. Call it a boy's nature and leave it at that." Albus pointed out, trying to deflect the situation from worsening.

"Minerva has a point Albus." Flitwick added making Albus inwardly groan. "The boy has this unhealthy interest in young Potter. Some of my Ravens reported to me that he was stalking the lad. I'm not sure if I should say this but it is quite possible that he bats for the same team, if you know what I mean."

This time, the male professors, and some of the portraits shuddered. There was nothing wrong in a boy liking another boy since this was an accepted fact in the Wizarding World, but stalking was a scary concept especially if your stalker was capable of using magic.

"Some of my Puffs report the same thing, Headmaster." Professor Sprout, Herbology Professor, and Head of Hufflepuff house, quipped.

Albus frowned before nodding.

"Be that as it may, we will only take action if young Ronald Weasley oversteps his bounds. You may reprimand him Minerva but belay any detentions for now." He ordered to his Deputy who gave him an incredulous look before accepting the order with a nod.

"Fine. But if the boy does overstep his boundaries then you and I are going to have a talk, Headmaster." said Minerva with a huge scowl on her face which made the Headmaster visible wince. Minerva McGonagall was in the same level as Augusta Longbottom when it came to one of her…talks. Albus Dumbledore was considered as the most powerful wizard alive but Minerva was just plain scary when she was angry.

"Agreed, Minerva. Now, Severus, any problems with your house?" Albus asked his Potion Master. Slytherin house was always a problem for Albus and he needed to know if he would be expecting the same thing this year from the Snakes.

"None to report, Headmaster, though I would like to point out that some of my snakes are doing so well in their classes that it even amazes me." Snape reported with a gleam in his eyes. He was quite proud of his snakes since they racked quite a lot of points, legally this time, and that made them a shoe in for the house cup though Ravenclaw was leading at the moment.

"Oh? Does this have to do with their study sessions with Mr. Potter?" said Flitwick with a proud smile on his face.

"Study session?" Severus and Albus asked at the same time. The other professors were giving Flitwick surprised looks as well since the students were performing absolutely well this year.

"Yes, study session. Madam Pince informed me that Mr. Potter commandeered a spot in the library where he and his first year classmates would meet every day to discuss their lessons and do their homework. I checked the scores of the first years in my class and I can easily say that this study session is reaping dividends. All of their scores are either Exceed Expectations or outright Outstanding. I'm sure that the other professors noted this as well." said Flitwick causing the other professors, including Snape, to nod in agreement.

"Interesting, and does this study session includes all the houses?" asked Albus, interest and curiosity lacing his voice.

"That is the amazing thing, Headmaster. Because of this, there is no rivalry among the first years. Heck, even the Gryffindor first years and Slytherin first years aren't showing their usual fights this year. I think all of you noticed that as well." Flitwick added with a happy grin on his face. Not only was his prized student making Ravenclaw house the best in the school, the lad was actually breaking down the barriers between houses. It was amazing to see.

"I agree with Flitwick, Headmaster. My snakes aren't as…aggressive as they were to Minerva's lions." Snape grudgingly admitted. "In fact, I noticed some of my snakes having a heated discussion about Potions with Gryffindors in some corners when classes aren't in session. Please note that this heated discussion was pure verbal discussion and no spells were flying or people screaming in pain and foul play."

This was the opening the Headmaster was looking for. He needed to know what makes Harry Potter tick.

"Speaking of which, how is young Mr. Potter?" Albus asked, hiding the interest in his voice. "Is he adjusting well to magic and classes?"

"He is an exceptional student, Albus. He studies in advance and dissects the theories like an expert. He is always the first to perform the spells perfectly without flaw. Judging from how he handles my class, I would recommend for him to skip a year but I know that he wouldn't accept that since he intends to thoroughly ground himself in the basics before advancing." Minerva reported with pride. Despite being not part of her house, she was quite proud of James and Lily's son. Harry was their legacy and it showed.

"I second that, Headmaster. Mr. Potter shows an amazing grasp on his magic that others could only dream of. The second day after his arrival here in Hogwarts, before I was going to start my introduction to my new Ravens, Mr. Potter was in the common room doing the _Levitation Charm_ like a master. He confided to me that he could 'feel' his magic, a rare talent that would help him in the future." added Flitwick with glee.

"He can feel his magic?" Albus asked with amazement in his voice. Sensing or feeling magic was a rare talent and even he, despite his knowledge and experience, couldn't feel magic unless aided by a spell.

Flitwick nodded his head vigorously that many of the professors thought it would fall off.

"He described it to me in perfect detail. It is because of this talent that made it easy for him to cast spells and master them with ease. With only a few advice from me, he could levitate two feathers and have each perform different maneuvers on his first try. That boy is a prodigy!" the Charms Professor bragged to his peers. Severus gave the excitable professor a look.

"I suggest that you refrain from addressing him as such, Filius. Mr. Potter hates being labeled a prodigy." Severus finally said after listening to the glowing compliments the two showered on the Boy-Who-Lived. The funny thing was, he wasn't mad at all, but made him respect the boy more. Harry James Potter was more like Lily Evans than James Potter.

"Why is that, Severus? It is the truth after all." Flitwick asked curiously. He didn't know what the Potions Professor was getting at.

"When I met with him and explained to him the existence of magic. He informed me that his teachers in muggle school dubbed him as a prodigy after passing his primary and secondary education at the age of 9." This revelation caused quite a lot of the professors to look at him in surprise. "He informed me that he hated being called a prodigy since, for him, everyone is capable of achieving the same thing he did if they just apply themselves." Severus explained. "From what I gather from that revelation, his ethics work something like this – Hard work trumps talent any day."

"How in the world did the boy become a Raven? With that attitude, he is a shoe in for my house." Sprout whispered in amazement as she digested what Snape revealed.

"Considering how he loves to learn, it is only obvious why he was placed in Ravenclaw." Flitwick quipped happily.

"Let us continue. Pomona?" Albus asked, turning to the Herbology Professor.

"Mr. Potter is an exceptional student and shows excellent care towards the plants we tackled in class though I would like to mention that Herbology is not Mr. Potter's field unlike the talent Mr. Longbottom shows in my class." Sprout reported with a smile.

"Quirinus?" Albus said, turning to the turban-wearing professor. Quirrel definitely changed - from a confident Ravenclaw to a stuttering coward. Maybe his stint with the vampires at Albania caused a lot of damage to the man's psyche.

"M-Mr. P-Potter i-is t-talented i-in D-Defense, Headmaster." Professor Quirrel reported in his usual stutter causing a lot of the professors to roll their eyes at him.

"Severus?" Albus finally asked the Potions Master. This was the clincher.

The silence that permeated the room was deafening as every professor's eyes were focused on Severus Snape. They all knew of the man's hatred for anything Potter. They couldn't wait to hear what he had to say, prepared to rebut anything negative he would say towards the boy.

"The boy has…talent in potions." Severus finally blurted out though many could see that it was forced. Some of the professors were thinking if he was fighting _the Imperious Curse_.

"Really, Severus?" Albus asked in total shock. He couldn't believe his ears. Snape was…complimenting Harry James Potter. It was surreal.

"Indeed, Headmaster. Though I loathe to admit it, the boy is talented in my art. Mr. Potter tends to use the after class hour to bombard me with questions about the subject and all of his work results in an excellently-brewed potion. Let's just say that his mind is that of his mother and maybe more, unlike his dunderhead of a father. Thank Merlin for that." He added the last part in a whisper.

Everyone was staring at him in shock, unable to say or react to what he just said. Severus Snape just complimented a Potter! The world was definitely coming to an end.

* * *

It was a wonderful weekend that Harry decided to head to the library for a good read. He already finished all the books he had in his collection and wanted to peruse the various tomes in the famed Hogwarts Library.

He was about to exit the dorm when his mind picked up a mental signature that he so wanted to avoid. Ronald Weasley was just outside. How in the world did the boy know of the Ravenclaw dorm's location? Fortunately for him, Harry James Potter was always prepared.

Before opening the portrait, he cast a _Notice-Me-Not Charm_ on himself keyed to the Weasley's magical signature. Anyone except Ronald Weasley would be able to see him.

Grinning, he opened the portrait and looked amused when Ronald stared at the open doorway in confusion as to why it opened with no one at the door. He fought the laugh that threatened to escape his lips before leaving the wing towards the library. He didn't bother to cancel the charm since he knew that the boy would be looking for him all over the castle.

After greeting a few acquaintances along the way, mostly Hufflepuff girls who giggled at him when he passed by, he arrived at the library and walked over to the Magical Theories section but not before giving Madam Pince a smile and a nod which she returned.

Harry perused the titles of the theoretical tomes before arriving one that sparked his interest – _Wizarding Portraits: Creation and Maintenance_. Ever since he met the portrait of Rowena Ravenclaw, he found the thought of creating a magical portrait of his own to be very intriguing. His muggle education likened it to an Artificial Intelligence. But before he could make one and possibly modify its use, he needed to know the theories behind its creation before making some modifications on his own.

He took the book from its shelf and made a beeline to his personal spot at the back of the library. Madam Pince showed him this spot since he didn't like to be disturbed as he read. The only people who knew of this location was Madam Pince, his Slytherin friends, and those who attended the study group, the latter was instructed to avoid spreading this place around since Harry valued his privacy above everything else which they readily agreed to.

He just about finished the first three chapters of the book that he had an unwelcome visitor.

"May I join you?"

Harry looked up to see Hermione Granger looking at him coldly. He inwardly sighed since politely declining would only lead to a confrontation he didn't want to happen in the library.

"Knock yourself out, Ms. Granger." said Harry, nodding to the vacant seats around the table before going back to his reading. He caught the girl pulling out a bunch of books from her bag with his peripheral vision. He would ignore her if she would leave him in peace. Unfortunately for him, that wasn't the case.

"I have a few questions for you, Harry." Hermione asked while giving him a pointed look. Harry frowned at how personal she was getting considering that they didn't know each other very well to merit first names.

"Yes, Ms. Granger?" asked Harry, not bothering to use her first name. They weren't friends. Heck, they weren't even in talking terms. The most words they shared was back in Hogwarts Express while she was helping Neville look for his toad.

"How come you are so good at magic? According to my research, this is your first time to attend Hogwarts. A few interviews revealed that you were living with muggles all your life. Why are you so good?" Granger blurted out. Harry merely raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't know that my personal life was an interest to you, Ms. Granger. In fact, you shouldn't concern yourself if I am good at magic or not. We are students in this institution and by point fact, it is normal for one to apply himself and study to the best of their abilities. I am not different in that regard." Harry said coldly, finally putting down his book and directing his attention on her. She wanted to annoy him, well, now she just did.

"Be that as it may, Harry. You shouldn't be this good at magic. Logic dictates that we should be the same in terms of magical education, me being a muggleborn and you being muggle-raised." Hermione said with a huff of irritation.

"I see. So this…Spanish Inquisition is because of the fact that I do well in my class and you find it…insulting that I am doing better than you, is that it, Ms. Granger?"

"That is not what I meant , Harry." Hermione denied with a frown on her face though Harry could see a slight blush on her cheeks which meant that he got it spot on.

"Tell me, Ms. Granger. You and I have never been acquainted even before when we met on the train. Please tell me as to why you are being…chummy with me by using my first name when I didn't give you permission to do so?" Harry asked, his cold mask still in place.

"There's nothing wrong in calling you by your first name." Hermione bristled.

"And there is nothing wrong in observing proper courtesy between two individuals as well. I remain polite by addressing you as 'Ms. Granger' instead of your first name since both of us are not even acquainted to merit such closeness. Also, your glaring at me in our classes didn't go unnoticed. I ignore it since it is the right thing to do but I don't like it when someone questions my work ethics." Harry pointed out.

"You're being a snob." Hermione said with a huff and a glare. "You are just like those pureblood students who berate me in class."

"A snob am I?" Harry said with a raised eyebrow. "Tell me, Ms. Granger, did I hound you and question your work ethics? Do I go around trying to change the view of the half-bloods and purebloods to how they should act? Do I try to belittle my peers on how little they know of magic?"

The guilty look in Hermione's face spoke volumes.

"You see, Ms. Granger, I may be intelligent and grasp the concept of magic faster than you, but I didn't do so because of talent. I study and I ask people for help if I have problems. I never pretend to know everything. On the contrary, I even accept the views and insights of my fellow first years and integrate that knowledge into my own. I work hard to study and practice my spells. I help those who need it as how others helped me. I don't belittle them. I don't demand from them. And most importantly, I am not, how do you put it, a snob. However, you, Ms. Granger, are one."

Hermione was about to rebut that statement when Harry flicked out his wand and cast a _Silencing Charm_ that hit her dead on. No words came out of her mouth as she glared at him.

"That is a _Silencing Charm_, Ms. Granger, making sure that you remain silent as I speak. Let me tell you something about me, Ms. Granger. Unlike others, I take pride in learning and I prize knowledge above everything else which is why I am in Ravenclaw. I already graduated my primary and secondary education, yes, quite an unbelievable fact I'm sure, but you can ask around and I'm sure the Board of Education will testify to my claim. You see, Ms. Granger, I don't brag. I know I can do it so I do it. I don't lie and I don't pretend. What you see before you is Harry James Potter, a first year student of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizard, a Ravenclaw who loves to study and learn. Again, Ms. Granger, I am not a snob but you are."

Harry stood up from his seat, no longer in the mood to study because of the girl in front of him. With a wave of his wand, he non-verbally banished the book back to its proper place in the Magical Theories section. This feat of magic didn't go unnoticed and Hermione Granger was staring at him, and his wand, in both awe and disbelief.

"I think this conversation has drawn to a close, Ms. Granger. Please refrain from treading into my personal space again and refrain from questioning my life and my work. You are not my family and you are not even my friend. You have NO right dictating what I should and should not do. Farewell, Ms. Granger, and I pray that when we meet next time, you have learned of manners and common sense."

With that, Harry canceled the charm on a crying Hermione Granger before leaving the room with his anger-induced magic surrounding him like an aura, scaring everyone out of his way.

* * *

**End of chapter 9**

**Please leave a comment or a review.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Thank you to those who told me that the past tense of 'hang out' is 'hung out'. Thanks for pointing it out to me *blush*  
**

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**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and Belgariad. **

**Chapter 10: Busted! Stupid Troll!  
**

Draco Malfoy was torn. He was currently holding his father's letter which stated within its words that he would spy on Harry Potter and report it all to him. The letter clearly made him question where his loyalties stood – his father or his new friend.

If he hadn't befriended Potter than he would have done as his father ordered in a heartbeat. However, the closeness he had with the Potter heir made him question whether he should follow his father's orders or not.

There was something…unique about Harry Potter. Draco grew up in pureblood circles hearing the tales of Harry Potter as he grew up. The boy was supposed to be living in an enchanted castle, learning loads of powerful magic, slaying dastardly creatures with a wave of his hand, and rescuing pureblood princess before going to bed.

After meeting the real Harry Potter in Madam Malkins, those fantasies were thrown out the window with a relish. His conversation with Harry Potter during their ride in Hogwarts Express and their months of being real friends in school made sure that those fantasies didn't make a return.

Harry James Potter was quite different as how others made him out to be and he definitely liked the real one compared to the fantasy that people worked up to satisfy the masses.

Harry James Potter was intelligent, frighteningly so. His fellow first year was always the first to understand the theory and perform the spells. Unlike that chit, Granger, Potter helped those who wanted to be helped, guiding them to understand the lesson and helping them perform the spells to mastery. Heck, Draco was one of those who reaped dividends from Potter's help.

Harry James Potter was also a very powerful wizard. What people didn't know, Draco was a sensor of sorts, a rare talent that was present due to his Black ancestry. He could sense the power rolling off the boy and it made him shiver. If that was how powerful Potter was before reaching maturity, he shuddered to think how powerful Potter would be when he does.

Also, Harry James Potter wasn't the Gryffindor Golden Boy the people labeled him to be. Potter was expected to stick to the norm and declare his undying hatred on the Slytherins. But no, really Harry James Potter wasn't like that.

Potter was a Ravenclaw through and through.

Potter was quite friendly. He would accept anyone into his fold without question as long as their actions merit the same. Potter was very understanding and open to the ideas of others. He didn't push his views nor does he step on time-honed traditions. He accepted them and learned from them.

For the month they spent as friends and indulging in academic activities to better themselves in magic, Draco found a true friend in Harry James Potter. Being a Malfoy, he expected some of his peers to look at him with distrust and fear due to his father's involvement when You-Know-Who was still around. But no, Harry didn't see him as a Malfoy. He saw him as Draco or Drake as he liked to call him.

This was why he was torn. He didn't want to reveal what he knew of Potter to his father since that would break the trust the Boy-Who-Lived had on him.

Draco looked at the letter again, his mind whirling in thought as to how he would get out of this without making his father mad at him.

Maybe a letter to his mother was the key.

Draco turned to his trunk and pulled out his parchment, quill, and ink; hoping all the while that his mother knew what to do.

* * *

It was Halloween and Harry was currently in one of the unused classrooms in the Transfiguration wing of Hogwarts with Neville Longbottom, trying to determine why the boy's magic was working against him.

When he was finished with the assigned spell work for the day in McGonagall's class, Harry spent most of his time practicing his Mage Sense as he dubbed it, acquainting himself with how his peers were using magic. When he trained his senses on Neville, he was surprised when he felt the boy's magic react negatively to the wand in his hand. Of course, this resulted in the spell failing, turning his matchbox into something that resembled a rat and not completely a rat. A matchbox with a tail was definitely not a rat.

After class, Harry immediately cornered Neville and led him to a vacant classroom, trying to determine what was wrong and try to solve the problem. He liked the boy, despite being shy and all, ever since the Longbottom heir showed his study group that even when he was not capable of properly casting the spells taught to them in class, he was a genius in Herbology.

Here he was, using his Mage Sense to determine the problem. The only thing he got was Neville's magic not connecting to the wand. His eyes strayed at the piece of wood the boy was holding. It was too old and used to be new.

"Neville, did you buy that wand from Ollivanders?" asked Harry rhetorically, causing Neville to pause from casting the _Levitation Charm_ before looking down in shame. Harry frowned at the action before asking. "What's the problem?"

"Well, H-Harry. This is my father's wand, you see. Gran didn't want me to buy a new wand since she told me that my father's wand should be good enough." Neville informed him with a blush on his face.

Harry sighed. Now he knew what the problem was. Nevile's magic wasn't reacting well with the wand since it wasn't tailor-fitted to his own.

"There's the problem, Neville. You can't do the spells properly because your wand isn't suited to your magical signature. According to the book I read on the subject, wands pick their master and not the other way around. If the wand isn't suited to your magic then your spells would be at half power or fail outright." Harry deadpanned.

"I don't know, Harry." said Neville with a bit of hesitation in his voice. "I think I'm the problem and not my father's wand. Before school, I have only shown accidental once and once only. That was the time my Uncle Algie threw me out of the second floor window and I bounced instead of being flattened on the ground. My Gran was quite happy that I wasn't a Squib but from the looks of it, what happened before was a one-time thing."

Harry couldn't help but feel sorry for the boy. He knew instinctively that he would be the same if he didn't break away from the Dursley's magic hating ways. Neville's depression wasn't helping either since magic centered on belief. If he didn't believe that he had magic then his magic would simply refuse to react no matter what he did.

Deciding that his new friend's life wasn't worth the secrecy, he pulled off his ring focus from his finger and placed on the table in front of the morose boy. Neville saw the ring and looked at Harry in confusion.

"Can you keep a secret, Neville?" Harry asked seriously while extending a telepathic probe to connect to the boy's mind to gauge the response.

Neville gulped. This was the first time he saw his new friend this serious.

"I-I can, Harry. I p-promise that I won't tell whatever i-it is you wish to tell m-me." Neville stuttered out nervously. Harry smiled before pulling back the probe. Neville was quite honest with that reply and the boy's sincerity was blinding.

"That ring on the table is a magical focus a wand maker created for me a year back. Forget about your father's wand for now. I will show you that you HAVE magic and it is the wand's fault that you're not doing the spells properly." Harry said with a grin. The grin was infectious since Neville smiled a bit before looking at the ring in hesitation.

"Are you sure?"

"Double sure. Now, I want you to wear the ring on your finger. Then I want you to cast the spell. Think of the finger where you wore the ring as a wand. Clearly visualize what you want to happen and believe that the spell will work. Come on, give it a try." urged Harry, giving the boy an encouraging pat on the back.

Nevile sighed and decided to trust Harry on this. So far, the Boy-Who-Lived hadn't led him astray. He picked up the ring and couldn't help but admire its craftsmanship. He placed it on the index finger of his right hand and he could feel something reach into his heart. He looked at the feather on the table and followed Harry's instruction. He visualized the feather floating from the table and pointed his finger with the ring and did the usual swish and flick.

"_**Wingardium Leviosa!" **_he incanted and was shocked at the result. The feather didn't float. It zoomed upward like a rocket to crash into the ceiling causing a little crack to form. The feather stayed there and had no plans of coming down any time soon. "What the bloody hell was that?"

"That, my dear Neville, was your magic. Despite being overpowered, you did the _Levitation Charm_ with my ring focus that you couldn't do with your father's wand." Harry said smugly at the shocked boy who was still staring at the feather in awe and disbelief. "As you can see, you are a powerful wizard, Neville. You just need the right wand to bring it out."

Neville turned to Harry with hope in his eyes before his shoulder slumped and released a loud sigh. He removed the ring from his finger and gave it back to Harry who took it with a curious look on his face.

"What's the problem now, Nev?"Harry asked in exasperation. "You just found out that you have magic like the rest of us and you're still as down as a rat."

"This will never work, Harry. My Gran will never allow me to get a new wand." said a miserable Neville Longbottom.

"Why in the world are you letting your grandmother dictate your magic?" Harry exclaimed in disbelief causing the boy to look at him strangely. "It's your magic we are talking about here, Nev. Not your grandmother and definitely not your father. Since it's your magic, you decide what you want to do with it. Do you want to keep using your father's wand despite the fact that it doesn't work or are you going to make sure that your magic has a proper focus to improve?"

"I know, Harry. But I don't want to get on my grandmother's bad side. I badly wanted to get a new wand start catching up in class but there is no way for me to do that. Money is not the problem since I have plenty of money saved up from my allowance but I can't just leave school and go to Diagon Alley. And if I ask my Gran to take me there, she would just refuse." Nevile said in exasperation making Harry grin.

"Neville, Neville, Neville. You forget who you're talking to." Harry said with a mischievous grin on his face.

"What are you talking about, Harry?" Neville asked while giving Harry a look of both confusion and exasperation, an amazing feat.

"Well, if you want to get a wand then let's go!" Harry said as he clamped a hand down on Neville's shoulder before teleporting out of the room to Diagon Alley with no one the wiser. Both of them appeared in the alley beside Ollivander's shop.

"What in the bloody hell was that?" Neville shouted making Harry's grin grow. He looked around and recognized the alley they were in. "How in Merlin's bulging balls did we get here from Hogwarts?"

"That's my secret, Neville, and I urge you to stick to your promise to keep this a secret." said Harry with a serious look on his face.

"Fine, I will keep it a secret and I don't think people would believe me if I told them. Really, Harry bloody Potter using apparition in Hogwarts where it shouldn't be possible. I shouldn't be surprised but I am." Nevile exclaimed hysterically. Harry didn't bother to correct him that it wasn't apparition he used to bring them here.

"You're being overdramatic, Nev. Now, to Ollivander's we go and get you a wand." Harry said cheerfully as he shoved the Longbottom heir out of the alley and into Ollivander's shop next door

* * *

It was half an hour later that Neville finally found the wand he was destined for – thirteen inch, Cherry wood with a unicorn hair as a core. It produced a lot of red and white sparks, indicating that it bonded quite powerfully with its new master who was looking at it with awe in his eyes.

Ollivander was quite surprised to see two students from Hogwarts and shouldn't be in the alley while the school was in session. When he discovered that it was Harry Potter who took the boy to get a wand that was quite overdue, he just shrugged his shoulder before deciding that he didn't want to know HOW Harry Potter got out of the castle much less bring Augusta's grandson with him.

After paying for the wand and a holster which Harry insisted that he should have, both left the shop with a polite thanks to Ollivander who merely wished them a safe trip back to school; Harry ushered Neville back into the alley and teleported again to the classroom they were using.

"Now that you have your wand, the next thing to do is to practice with it. Since we have two hours before the Halloween Feast, you are going to go through ALL the spells taught to us in class and you will master them with your new focus. Clear?" said Harry with a gleam in his eyes. Neville could only nod since he was scared of unholy light in Potter's eyes that was directed at him.

"Good! Now let the tutoring begin!" Harry exclaimed before cackling in glee as he rubbed his hands together.

The next two hours was pure torture for one Neville Longbottom.

* * *

"What in the world happened to you?" Draco blurted out when he saw Longbottom's tired face as the boy walked, dragging his feet tiredly, towards the Great Hall with Harry beside him with a smug grin on his face. He and his fellow Slytherin first years came out of the dungeon where they're dorm was located to see Harry and Neville cross their path from the direction of the Transfiguration wing. He looked at Potter who was giving Neville a smirk. "Why do you look like the cat that got the canary?"

"Why, Drake, whatever to do you mean?" Harry said with an innocent look plastered on his face. Since the Slytherins knew that they wouldn't get an answer out of the boy even if they tried, they turned to Neville with curious looks on their faces.

Neville saw the questioning looks directed at him before giving out a tired sigh.

"Harry got to me. We spent the whole afternoon after Transfiguration class in one of the unused classrooms. He practically rammed the whole of last month's spells and theories into my brain." Neville revealed with a tired smile before his face turned exultant. "And I did all the spells perfectly. Harry said so."

The Slytherins were giving Neville disbelieving looks but couldn't deny that the boy was being honest. They looked at Harry for an explanation.

"Better believe it, guys…and gals." Harry added the last part when Pansy, Daphne, and Tracy leveled him a glare. "Neville here just needed some direct tutoring that's all. I'm proud to say that he now has full control over his magic and will not be having problem with the lessons ever again." Harry finished his explanation with a proud smile on his face.

"Right." Blaise quipped, automatically believing the explanation since Harry was painfully honest and blunt in the month that he knew him. "Good thing both of you finished on time. The Halloween feast is about to start in 5 minutes."

"We would have been here sooner if this sadist didn't decide to let me do the spells for the third time." Neville said in exasperation. "Really, if I can do the spells perfectly twice in a row then that should be enough. But no! Sadist Potter had to let me do it the third time to make sure I get things right."

"There's nothing wrong in making sure, Nev." Harry deadpanned causing the girls to snicker while the boy's were giving the Longbottom heir pitying looks. They knew how hard a taskmaster Harry was. Their study session and their grades were a testament to that.

"Alright. We better get going. The feast will be starting in a few minutes and I don't want to be late." said Tracy before her stomach let out a low rumble of hunger. Everyone's attention immediately zeroed in on her stomach. Tracy immediately placed her hands over her belly to hide it from the staring. "What? I'm hungry so sue me!"

This exclamation caused the stomachs of brute one and two to rumble as well, though louder than Tracy's. Harry let out a chuckle before making his way to the Great Hall.

"Well, that proves it. We better get going before the bodyguard duo decides to have us for dinner. I take Pansy's word to heart that those two eat anything and I don't want to be on their menu." Harry said with a cheeky grin causing both Crabbe and Goyle to blush as red as a tomato.

* * *

The Halloween Feast was quite extravagant and Harry could only gape at the assorted cuisines on the table. He was surprised that the furniture didn't break down from the weight.

He was having fun eating and conversing with his fellow Ravenclaws when the door of the Great Hall banged open, revealing Professor Quirrel running into the room with fear etched on his face.

"TROLL! TROLL IN THE DUNGEON! Thought you should know." He blurted out before falling forward in a dead faint.

The entire student body started screaming in fear since trolls were definitely bad news and a troll in school was worst. The scream lasted for a few more seconds before a loud bang silenced them. Everyone looked at the source of the noise to see the Headmaster with his wand aloft.

"Everyone stay calm. Prefects, take your respective charges back to your dormitories. Teachers, follow me to take care of this problem." He announced before walking around the table to exit the Great Hall, the professors following him.

Harry looked at the fainted form of his DADA instructor before following Penelope leading them back to the safety of the Ravenclaw dorm.

* * *

Harry and the rest of his housemates made a beeline towards the Ravenclaw dorms but had to stop when the troll, who was supposed to be in the lower sections of the castle, blocled their way.

"Shit! Everyone back! Go back to the Great Hall!" Penelope shouted as she drew her hand and pointed it at the troll that was brandishing its huge club. _**"Confringo!"**_

A bright orange spell flew out of Penelope's wand to hit the troll on the face. However, the troll's magic-resistant hide resisted the spell, causing it to splash harmlessly on the troll's face without visible damage though the troll was clearly annoyed at being shot at since it let out a loud roar to punctuate its point.

"Damn it! Trolls are too magically resistant for low level spells to work." Penelope cursed before shouting back at the fearful students behind her. "Everyone back to the Great Hall! Quickly! I'll try to hold it off as long as I can."

The first years followed the prefect's orders and starting running to the Great Hall. Penelope was slowing the troll down by throwing curses after curses at the beast but it was still making its way toward her. She fired an overpowered _Reducto_ that pushed the troll back a bit. It roared in rage before throwing its large club at Penelope who was kneeling on the floor, tired from using too much magic.

Harry was about to leave with the rest of his peers when he saw Penelope fall to the floor, kneeling and drawing in deep breaths. His own breath hitched when he saw the troll throw the club at the downed prefect.

Throwing off any pretense of secrecy, Harry flicked out his wand and shouted the first defensive spell he learned from one of the dueling books he had in his collection.

"_**PROTEGO!"**_ Harry shouted as a bright blue dome of pure magic encompassed Penelope's form before the club could it her. The impact caused a loud bang to echo around the narrow hallway before the club flew back to the troll that hit it on the stomach, making the beast double over in pain. Harry immediately ran to Penelope's side.

"Are you alright, Penelope?" asked Harry while keeping an eye on the clearly pained troll.

"Potter? What are you doing here? Go back to the Great Hall and look for a professor." Penelope said while taking in deep breaths.

"And leave you here at the mercy of the troll? You have got to be kidding me." Harry deadpanned before he cast an overpowered _Reducto_ at the troll when it finally got over its brief bout of pain and ran towards them. The spell hit the troll on the stomach, where the club impacted, and pushed it back a couple of meters. Unlike the club, the spell was made of magic so the creature's hide blocked most of its effects.

Penelope was looking at Harry Potter in awe. Here was a first year who saved her life by casting a powerful shield charm that protected her from being brained by a very large club. Not only that, the boy now fired off a fifth year spell with enough power to push it back further than hers did. Who in the world was this boy?

Harry looked at the troll as it rose back to its feet. The beast picked up the club on the floor and started brandishing the thing around while roaring in rage. He decided that his wand didn't have a powerful output to put this thing down. He could run back to the Great Hall and its protection but with Penelope weak from magical exhaustion, they wouldn't get far before the troll could catch up to them. Grimly, he looked at Penelope and stared deep into her eyes.

"Penelope. I'm going to do something but promise me that you don't reveal what you see to the professors." Harry said grimly as he flicked his wand to the side, preparing himself for what he was about to do.

"What are you talking about, Harrry?" Penelope asked immediately. The grim look in the boy's eyes unnerved her. "What are you going to do?"

"Just promise me that you won't say anything to what you are about to see." Harry barked urgently as the troll started walking towards them.

"Promise!" Penelope shouted without hesitation when she saw the troll lumbering towards them and prayed that what Potter was about to do would be enough.

What she saw next scared and awed her at the same time.

Hearing Penelope's promise, Harry flicked his wand forward and willed it to its staff mode. It glowed white for a bit before it lengthened to its original size, power running off it in waves as Harry fully connected its core with his focus.

However, the troll was too close for him to cast any offensive spells and its club was already making its way towards them. Not wasting any time, Harry slammed the butt of his staff on the floor and incanted a spell.

"_**PROTEGO MAXIMA!" **_

A shield more powerful than _Protego_ materialized around Harry and Penelope, stopping the club on its tracks before the magical construct flared with unsuppressed power to throw the troll back at least 50 meters, landing on the floor with a loud thud. The troll's club disintegrated upon contact with the powerful protection.

Harry hefted his staff on the floor and pointed its tip to the troll who was back on its feet. He channeled more magic to his staff and incanted. Since he didn't want to kill the troll, only knock it out for them to get away, he decided on stunning it.

"_**Stupefy!"**_ Harry growled out before a bright red beam exited the tip of the staff that hit the troll on the chest. Since the troll's magic-resistant skin was still intact, the spell didn't stun the troll but it was enough to disorient it, giving Harry enough time to cast another overpowered spell. The young Sorcerer gripped both of his hands on the staff and prayed that he was going to be forgiven for what he was about to do.

"_**REDUCTO!"**_ Harry roared, pushing as much magic as he could into the staff.

The Wizard's Staff flared as it absorbed its master's magic and released a bright blue beam as thick as his arm. The spell was so powerful that it made a hole right through the troll's chest, ignoring its magic-resistant hide, where its heart was. The spell continued on its path to hit the end of the hallway, blasting the wall to smithereens to reveal the dark sky outside.

Harry and Penelope looked at the troll as it stood still for a few seconds before falling to the ground, dead.

Sighing, Harry let go of his staff, making it however just a few inches off the ground, and turned to Penelope who was looking at him in awe.

"Glad that's over." Harry said tiredly as the adrenalin in his veins started to run out. He looked at Penelope for a few seconds before helping her to stand up. "I hope you stick to your promise, Ms. Clearwater."

Penelope shook her head before giving the boy who saved her a disbelieving look.

"With what you just did to the troll? I daresay I'll be keeping my mouth shut about this. Who would believe me?" Penelope blurted out in disbelief. Who would believe her that Harry bloody Potter's wand turned into a staff and killed the troll with a _Reducto_? She would be carted off to St. Mungo by those who listened to see if she was right in the head.

"Thanks, now…" he was stopped from what he was about to say when a familiar voice rang out from behind them.

"MR. POTTER!"

Harry turned to see the Headmaster looking at him and the dead troll in pure disbelief. Behind him, the professors, minus Quirrel, were doing the same thing.

"Well, shit!" Harry cursed before grabbing his floating staff, glowing as if in amusement.

* * *

**End of Chapter 10**

**Please leave a comment or a review.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Belgariad**

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**Chapter 11: Potter Magic at Work!**

After the debacle with the troll, Harry was led by the Headmaster, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Flitwick to the Headmaster's office to discuss what happened. Before leaving, the diminutive Charms Professor instructed Penelope to usher the Ravenclaws back to the dorm before going to the hospital wing to be checked out.

Penelope immediately agreed and turned to leave but not before giving Harry a hug of thanks which caused him to blush, much to everyone's amusement.

When that was done, the Headmaster instructed the other professors to make sure that all the students were safely back into their dorms and to instruct the elves to bring some food to each of the common rooms for the students to enjoy.

After all, the troll interrupted the feast and most of the students were still eating at that time.

Harry followed the trio as they made their way to the Headmaster's office, his thoughts whirling as to how he should explain everything that they had seen. It would have been easy to wipe their memories of the event using sorcery but he didn't know if it would work considering that they were magical. It worked on muggles but the talent was untested when faced against a witch or a wizard, and learned ones at that.

They stopped in front of a large gargoyle statue blocking their way. The Headmaster whispered something to the edifice causing it to spring to life and move out of the way, revealing a staircase leading up to the Headmaster's chamber. Following his professors, he was ushered into the room and guided to a seat before the faculty followed.

"Now, Mr. Potter. Please explain what happened." the Headmaster asked while giving the young sorcerer a piercing look. Harry could feel a mental probe trying to worm its way into his defenses but his protection held it at bay.

"Well, sirs, ma'am. The prefect followed the Headmaster's instruction to guide us back to the Ravenclaw dorm. However, when we were halfway there, the troll blocked our path and Ms. Clearwater shouted at us to go back to the Great Hall while she started firing spells at it. It was going well and most of the students were already out of the corridor when the Ms. Clearwater fell to kneel on the floor, obviously exhausted from casting all those spells. I was about to leave when I saw the troll throw its club at her that would have killed her if I didn't cast a _Protego_ that protected her from it."

"Wait a minute, you cast a _Protego_? That is a fifth year charm, Mr. Potter." interrupted McGonagall while giving Harry a disbelieving look.

"Yes, ma'am. I know. I read it from a fifth year book in the library." Harry lied. His staff was revealed to the teachers but he would be damned if he let his other secrets get out. Reveal one to hide the others.

"It is clear that you mastered that spell since you protected Ms. Clearwater from being bludgeoned by the troll's club. If your spell didn't hold then she would have been injured. Proceed." The Headmaster mused before beckoning Harry to continue.

"Well, I immediately rushed to Ms. Clearwater's side to make sure that she was alright. However, before I was about to help her, the troll was able to shrug off the hit from its club…"

"Wait, how did the troll get hit?" asked Flitwick with a raised eyebrow since the lad forgot to mention that part.

"Well, my _Protego_ stopped the club and deflected it back at the troll which hit it in the stomach." Harry answered with a smile. Flitwick returned the smile and urged for him to continue. "Anyway, the troll was lumbering towards us so I cast a _Reducto_ that hit it in the stomach. I read that trolls have a form of magic resistance through their skin so the _Reducto_ just pushed it back without causing it any damage."

"Another fifth year spell, Mr. Potter." McGonagall said.

"Yes, professor. The same book that I got the _Protego_ from." Harry informed her. It was true too since he already read through ALL the books required by the Hogwarts curriculum, well, those from the core subjects anyway. "To continue, when the troll recovered from my spell and picked up its club, I decided to fight power with power, thus, I used my staff."

"Correct me if I'm wrong, Mr. Potter, but you have a wand, not a staff." The Headmaster pointed out, eyeing the five-foot tall wood the boy was holding.

"Same thing, sir. Here, let me show you." Harry showed them his staff and turned it into a wand before returning it back to its staff mode. The three faculties were giving him incredulous looks.

"A Wizard's Staff." Flitwick breathed out as he eyed the staff in Harry's hand in awe.

"That's what Mr. Ollivander said when it formed." Harry nodded. Might as well tell them since they would put up an inquiry with the wand maker and he was duty bound to tell them being his professors and all.

"Formed?" asked McGonagall though from the looks of it, she just asked the question before the Headmaster could.

"Yes, you see, I tried out all the wands in Mr. Ollivander's stock and none of them worked for me so he brought out his great grandfather's first created wand and another. When I touched the first wand, it didn't produce that much of a reaction but, according to Ollivander, it guided my magic to pick up the second wand. When my hand touched the second, something happened that resulted in the creation of my staff."

"I see. Why didn't you tell the professors this, Mr. Potter?" asked the Headmaster with a frown on his face. Harry shrugged.

"Well, Professor Snape was there so I thought he must have informed the other faculties. As to why I didn't mention it, nobody asked. As long as I had a wand, though it could turn into a staff and vice versa, I didn't care." Harry said casually. He could see the annoyed tick on the Headmaster's face before the aged wizard spoke.

"Alright. Now, considering that it is already late and it is past curfew, would it be alright if I extract the memory of your face-off against the troll so we can view it?"

"Extract the memory? Is that possible?" Harry asked curiously. Flitwick chose to answer his question before the Headmaster could.

"Yes, Mr. Potter, using a device called a _Pensieve_, it is quite possible to extract a memory and let others view it. If you want to know the schematics behind it, the memory would be copied by the wand used in the extraction and placed in a _Pensieve_ where it may be viewed by the interested parties." explained Professor Flitwick since he knew that his favorite students would be asking the question if left unanswered to his liking.

"I see. Will this…extracted memory disappear after it is viewed?"

"That is an option, yes." answered Flitwick.

"Then yes, professor, I will allow you to extract the memory but with a promise that it would be destroyed afterwards." Harry said seriously.

"You have my promise on that, Mr. Potter." said Flitwick as he pulled out his wand. Nodding at the boy, he placed the tip of his wand on the boy's temple. "Now, I want you to concentrate on the memory of the event. If you have it firmly in your mind, tell me so I can begin the extraction."

Harry nodded and pushed the memory of his fight with the troll to the forefront of his mind while blocking out the rest. He didn't want to mistakenly include his practice session with Neville with the memory they wanted. That was another secret he wanted to keep and it was only right for Neville to reveal his if he chose to.

"Ready, professor."

"I will begin." said Flitwick as he slowly pulled out the silvery thread that contained the memory of the even by the tip of his wand. Beckoning to the Headmaster, who immediately flicked his own wand to summon a bronze basin-like artifact from a cabinet and deposited it on his desk. Flitwick dropped the memory strand into the water-like substance causing it to glow before turning white.

"Thank you, Mr. Potter. If you could just wait for a few minutes, we will view the memory." said Flitwick.

Harry nodded and watched curiously when the three faculties touched a finger to the watery-substance causing them to glow before being sucked into its depths. The young sorcerer made a mental note to research _Pensieves_ since it was too interesting to pass up.

It was ten minutes later that two professors and one Headmaster dazedly looked at him before he was accompanied by Flitwick out of the room back to the Ravenclaw dorm.

* * *

"That was surreal." Minerva breathed out, playing the memory again in her mind. "I knew the boy was talented and powerful but I never knew that it was to this extent. The spells he used, despite being taught in fifth year, was so powerful that even I couldn't pull it off. Maybe you can with your power but I doubt I could. Even Filius was shocked."

"It is definitely surreal, Minerva. I knew that Mr. Potter was powerful, I just didn't know how powerful." said Albus with a frown on his face. He knew that the boy was powerful but the memory of the troll gave testament that he was indeed more powerful than what he was led to believe. Couple that with the Staff of Legend that the boy possessed, he was beyond powerful. He knew of the legends behind the Wizard's Staff since he longed to make one for his own to no avail. Despite his power, a wand was enough to handle his magic. It was irksome to see that the boy showed more potential than he did though it did give him hopes for the future.

"I stand by my decision as before, Albus, that boy shouldn't be a first year. From the way he used magic and with that staff of his, he should be bumped up a grade or two." Minerva said proud grin on her face. If James and Lily could see their son now, they would have been proud. A first year capable of flinging out fifth year spells like it was nothing? James would have been crowing his head off in pride.

"That is his decision, Minerva, not mine though I suggest that you hold that thought since using spells is quite different from understanding and control. Let him continue with his peers. I daresay he would be quite negative to the idea of skipping grades even if it is to his advantage." Albus pointed out.

"You might be right there. The boy is too stubborn for his own good." Minerva said with a huff and Albus Dumbledore inwardly agreed to that statement.

"I suggest that we keep this situation under wraps. It wouldn't be a good idea to spread around what really happened with the troll. Fortunately for us, Ms. Clearwater already agreed to keep it a secret and the lack of students during the confrontation was a boon to keep this incident from spreading. I'll come up with a plausible story and will announce it during breakfast." Albus finally decided. He definitely didn't want this to leak out. If the word got out that Harry Potter was the owner of the Staff of Legends, the entire Wizarding World would be hounding the boy without pause.

"That would be the best, Albus. I'm going to retire for the night but not before gulping down a dram or two of scotch. What I saw unnerved me." Minerva said with a shudder. Seeing a boy not even reaching his maturity pull out such power was scary, even if the boy was responsible with it.

"I might even join you, Minerva." Albus said wryly as he watched his Deputy exit his room. When the door clicked shut, he immediately stood up from his chair to the fireplace before pulling out a pinch of green dust from the jar on the mantle. He threw it to the fire which immediately turned green before calling out. "Garrick Ollivander."

* * *

Harry breathed a sigh of relief when the Headmaster announced to the school what happened to the troll. It would seem that the Headmaster decided to keep his…involvement in the troll's death a secret to the masses, which Harry wholeheartedly agreed to. As it stood, the school now knows that the troll was defeated by the Headmaster before it could make its way to Ravenclaw Tower, which made the Ravenclaws who didn't see Harry kill the troll sigh in relief.

It took a week before the gossip mill about the troll incident died down. Harry was happy that the students didn't know what he did but he was also annoyed that the professors who saw him reveal a part of his power giving him speculative looks. He judiciously ignored them.

Harry came into the hall for breakfast and saw Draco at the Slytherin table with a smug grin on his face. Curious, he made his way over to him and sat down on the seat in front of the blonde. The other Slytherins merely gave him a nod of greeting, used to the fact that Harry sat in different tables other than his own house..

"Why the smug grin, Drake?" asked Harry curiously as he grabbed some sausages from a platter and placed it on his plate. Draco didn't answer though his grin grew even smugger if that was even possible. Not getting an answer out of the blonde ponce, he turned to the next best thing.

Blaise saw the questioning looks Harry directed at him so he decided to drop the bomb.

"The smug grin on Draco's face is because he got Weasley and Granger in big trouble." said Blaise after taking a sip from his morning tea. Unlike the rest of his housemates, who preferred something sweet during breakfast, he preferred the soothing taste of tea.

"Really now." Harry asked, interested as to what happened. "Ronald Weasley? How?"

"Yes, Ronald Weasley." Blaise confirmed. "Our blonde friend goaded Ronald into a Wizard's Duel to be held at midnight yesterday. Considering how sly Draco is, he didn't show but ratted Weasley out to Filch who immediately took the tip and cornered Weasley in the trophy room. Granger was also there. There was a bit of a chase as what I've heard which took Granger and Weasley to the third floor corridor. They were running back when Filch finally caught them. Aside from the 100 points deduction, they are going to go through a week's detention with Professor Snape."

"Sneaky. Very sneaky." Harry commented before giving Draco a piercing look. "However, I don't think that it is right to get someone into trouble even if that someone is a prat. Tell me, Drake, why did you goad Weasley into that fake duel? I know you don't do things without a reason."

Draco rolled his eyes but answered nonetheless.

"Contrary to what Blaise said, Potter, I didn't goad Weasley. It was a spur of the moment decision. Besides, the idiot was practically shouting to the world that you're the next Dark Lord because your hanging out with 'slimy snakes'." said Draco, making air quotes. This definitely surprised Harry.

"So in other words, you trapped Weasley because he was ruining my name?" Harry asked incredulously before batting his eyelashes at the blonde and giving him a leer. "Why Draco, I didn't know you care. If only you weren't attached to Pansy, I would be kissing you silly right now."

Draco stared at Harry for a few seconds until what the boy said registered in his brain. His face turned a bit green after that.

"Potter, stop leering at my prince charming." Pansy growled, latching on to Draco's arm as if afraid that Potter would take her paramour away.

"Oh don't worry, Pansy, I can share him with you. After all, Draco is so _manly_ that he needs both of us to satisfy him." Harry purred knowing that this would scare the blonde silly.

And he was right too because Draco paled before bolting out of his seat and out the Great Hall with Pansy after him while yelling that she would protect his virtue from the Big Bad Potter. The laughter from the Slytherins made Harry mentally pat himself on the back for a prank well done.

* * *

After that well-executed prank, the Slytherins, as well as some first years from other houses would chuckle when they saw Draco giving Harry a wide berth. When they saw Pansy glaring at the Boy-Who-Lived, the other students who weren't in the know asked what happened. When Blaise explained the prank, everyone burst out in laughter but quieted down when Harry decided to prank them as well.

He wasn't gay, well, he wasn't sure because his hormones weren't kicking as of yet, but he decided to play the part. The leer he was giving his peers in the study group scared them out of their wits. Only Blaise wasn't affected because he knew that Harry was just playing around. Well, he hoped that Potter was just playing around for the sake of his sanity…and his virginity.

It was two days later that Harry was approached by Neville as the former was going back to Ravenclaw Tower since it was almost curfew.

"Harry, got a minute?" Neville called out as he approached. Harry turned to his friend.

"Sure, Nev. What's up?" Harry asked with a smile. Ever since Neville discovered that he wasn't a Squib and could now do magic like the rest of the students, his confidence grew by leaps and bounds. He was quite proud of the boy but he didn't voice it out loud since he didn't want the Longbottom heir to gain a big head because of it.

"Do you know anything about the Philosopher's Stone?" asked Neville causing Harry to look at him in interest.

"The Philosopher's Stone was created by the Master Alchemist, Nicholas Flamel, during the 12th century. The stone was said to have different powers, from turning lead into gold to the creation of the Elixir of Life that grants immortality. The procedure of its creation is a closely guarded secret that only its creator knows." Harry recited. "What about it?"

"You know of the Wizard's Duel that Malfoy reneged on?" Harry nodded at this prompting Nev to continue. "Before Filch caught up to them, they accidentally ran into the forbidden corridor on the third floor. I overheard them talking that they saw a three-headed dog there so they went to Hagrid to ask about it since he was the Groundskeeper. They discovered that the dog was guarding something for Flamel and Hermione saw an old newspaper at Hagrids talking about the break-in at Gringotts that happened during the summer. Hermione deduced that it was the Philosopher's Stone at Gringotts and taken out before it could be stolen and now being safeguarded here at Hogwarts with the dog as one of its defenses." Nev finished the explanation causing Harry to give him a thoughtful look.

"So what does this have to do with me, Nev?" Harry asked rhetorically. He didn't know why Neville was bringing this to his attention, not that he wasn't curious, which he was.

"Well, to be honest, I was hoping that you know something of the Philosopher's Stone since Hermione was only able to deduce what the item was after doing a bit of research in the library using Nicholas Flamel as a clue. Considering that you spend more time there than she does, I thought you knew something and I was right." Neville said brightly causing Harry to give him an amused look.

"Uh huh. So the Philosopher's Stone is here at Hogwarts being protected by a Cerberus," Seeing the blank look on his friends face, he decided to explain. "The three-headed dog that Granger and Weasley saw is called a Cerberus, protector and guardian to the gates of the Underworld and Tartarus. I read about it in Greek Mythology and in some books on magical creatures."

"You know, Harry, you sound like a walking encyclopedia." Neville shook his head before pointing it out, amazed at his friend's knowledge about magic despite being muggle-raised.

"That may be true but you love me for it." Harry quipped with a grin.

"Keep telling yourself that." Nevile finally said in exasperation.

* * *

Harry closed the software he was running before massaging his temple as he felt a headache coming on. He just finished the first batch of codes for his secret project, an artificial intelligence of sorts though this would be modified if he completed his studies on magical portraits and _Pensieves_ – creating something along the line of a magical artificial intelligence with his personality as a core.

This project, if people heard about what he was working on, was an impossible task but it couldn't hurt to try since he wasn't working on anything sensitive or time demanding right now.

As he gazed out the window, his mind went back to the conversation he had with Neville about the Philospher's Stone being at Hogwarts. His logical mind immediately formulated questions regarding this revelation.

One, why was the fabled stone outside the hands of its creator? The Philosopher's Stone was safeguarded by Nicholas Flamel for almost 800 years and there were no reports of it being stolen since it was only logical for the Master Alchemist to enact stringent protections over his creation that none would be stupid enough to try.

Two, why was the stone here at Hogwarts where children would be placed in danger if the thief does decide to make another try after failing at Gringotts? If they wanted to safeguard the stone, it would have been more logical to put a safe house under _Fidelius_ and pick a random person they trusted to be the _Secret Keeper_. But no, they had to hide it in a castle filled to the brim with children. A stupid decision if Harry ever thought of one.

Three, if the stone was in the third floor corridor, why did the Headmaster blatantly warn the students that something was there. If Harry was the thief, it would have been like a beacon in the darkness as the most probable location of the Philosopher's Stone in the castle.

Harry combined these questions together to finally arrive at a conclusion.

The Philosopher's Stone was here in Hogwarts to serve as the bait to lure the thief for capture. Now the question is…who was the thief and why do they want it? Were they after riches or were they after more? Who planned all this out and who would be the one to take out the thief once he or she went after the stone?

These thoughts plagued his mind before he finally fell into Morpheus' embrace.

* * *

Harry decided that now would be the time to check out the protections of the Philosopher's Stone to see how well-protected the magical artifact was in Hogwarts.

Tomorrow, he and the rest of the students would be taking the train back to King's Cross and to their families. Since the students retired early in preparation for tomorrow's trip, the young sorcerer decided that he would be exploring the third floor corridor when everyone was in bed under the cover of darkness to avoid discovery.

When the alarm on his mobile phone informed him that it was 1AM in the morning, Harry stood up from his chair and walked over to the open window. The cool night breeze assaulted his face though he welcomed it. The night was perfect for a good flight.

Taking a deep breath, Harry gathered in his Will and turned it inwards into his core. He could feel his body liquefy as he took the shape of the animal that was perfect for a night-time flight.

Where Harry Potter once stood was a Great Sooty Owl. The owl flew over to the table and swiveled its head to Hedwig who was giving it a curious look. The black owl hooted in greeting.

"_Going somewhere, hatchling?"_ came Hedwig voice from her hoots which Harry clearly understood as if it was English because of how his mental state shifted to that of an owl. It was a curious thing about a Sorcerer's animal transformation. Unlike an animagus where the wizard would dominate their inner animal's mind lest it control them, a Sorcerer's transformation was similar to a melding – both human and animal minds combined to form a single unique personality.

"_Yes, Hed. I'm going to check out the third floor corridor_." Harry hooted to his first animal friend. Hedwig nodded her head in her usual fashion.

"_I will come with you for the fly though I will leave you be to your search."_ Hedwig replied before taking wing out the window. Harry immediately followed with a few flaps of his own.

The night air caressed his feathers as his eyes saw the night as if it was day. One of the few reasons he chose the Great Sooty Owl was of its pure nocturnal qualities. Unlike other owls, the Great Sooty was a creature of the night. It sleeps during the day and wakes when the sun sets in the horizon. Its eyes were geared towards the darkest of night, able to see anything under the heavy gloom.

Harry enjoyed the flight with Hedwig as both traversed the skies but it was half an hour later that Harry decided that he had enough fun and it was time to get his business done. Hooting a silent 'see you later' to Hedwig who hooted back before increasing her altitude, Harry veered off back towards the castle to the eastern wing where the infamous third floor corridor was located. He located the window of the room where the Cerberus was and made a beeline for it.

Despite being in animal form, Harry still had full access to his sorcery though his magic wasn't with him at the moment. Unlike that of an animagus where their magic was locked away while in their animal form, a Sorcerer was above such restrictions, ensuring that Harry had full access to his human side's talent though only sorcery and not magic. With a burst of his Will, he opened the window silently and drifted over to the sill and watched the growling dog below.

With practiced ease, Harry's mind reached out to the dog and guided it to sleep. It was a bit difficult considering that he was working against three separate minds but he got the job done in a span of ten minutes. Deciding to test the dog's attention before making any moves in his human form, Harry flew down to the floor in front of the great Cerberus and happy that the dog was snoring, deep asleep.

Harry shifted back to his human form and studied the room. It was a plain room and there were no other entrances bar the door he assumed where Granger and Weasley entered, hoping to hide from Filch. He had to stifle a snicker when he envisioned their faces upon sight of a snarling three-headed monster bearing down on them. It must have been a sight.

Upon further study, he noticed a trap door underneath the sleeping Cerberus. Sighing, he flexed his Will and slowly levitated the Cerberus from its make-shift bed, taking extra care to make sure that it was steady to avoid waking the beast. He gently guided the sleeping creature to a corner and lowered it back to the floor. The only indication that it was still asleep was when one of the heads released a loud snore that would have woken up the dead.

Harry grinned at the scene before turning his attention to the plain-looking trap door on the floor. Considering who protected the stone, he stretched out his mind to feel if there were any magic on the entrance to the Stone's chamber. It was fortunate that he did so because he felt a ward of some sort on the door's hinges, possibly to alarm the person who placed the ward that the trapdoor was opened.

Harry shook his head in disbelief. If this was the second protection of the stone, the dog being the first, then someone was definitely off their rocker. Without bothering to use his wand-staff, Harry utilized one of the spells in his family's repertoire. He pointed his finger at the clearly-enchanted trap door and incanted the spell in a whisper.

"_**Congelamento Magia."**_

The trap door glowed green before dying down, signifying that the spell was active. _Congelamento Magia_ was a spell created by his great-great grandfather, Henry Potter. This Potter-only spell would leave the ward or enchantment intact but its effect would be frozen until Harry decides to lift it. For example, if the spell was cast over an enchanted alarm clock, even if the alarm was set, it still wouldn't play since the effect of the enchantment was frozen. Being a Ward Breaker, Henry Potter invented the spell and added it to the family grimoire so he wouldn't have to waste his time destroying or breaking wards; but instead, bypass its effects for his purpose. It was so simple yet very effective.

Harry grinned when he saw the trap-door glow green signifying the spells purpose was in effect. He confidently opened the trap door to see nothing but black. Frowning when he didn't see any stairs or ladders, he opened his palmed and focused his Will. A ball of light materialized in his hand and had it float down. Harry's eyes narrowed when he saw thick vines writhing below.

"Devil Snare." Harry murmured as he recognized the plant below. "I wonder why Professor Sprout would use a plant that a first year could easily recognize and counter."

Harry assumed, upon sight of the Cerberus which, according to Neville, was Hagrid's pet. If the gentle giant had a hand in the stone's protection then it was quite obvious that the other professors would be in on the scheme.

Sighing a bit, Harry used sorcery to float himself down into the trapdoor, the ball of light he created earlier guided his path. As he neared, Harry could see the Devil Snare becoming agitated as it sensed his coming. Deciding to use his wand for precision, he flicked it out and aimed directly at the center of the moving mass, controlling his magic so as not to overpower the spell and destroying the protection in front of him. He just wanted it to move out of the way and let him pass, not kill it.

"_**Incendio."**_ incanted Harry before a burst of fire flew from his wand and hit the center of the deadly plant. Despite not having any mouths, Harry could clearly hear the slight screech the plant emitted as it was burned. Slowly, the plant moved away from the flames until an opening was formed, wide enough for two Harry's to enter.

Not wasting any time, Harry guided his Will, making him float downward faster towards the hole he created with his ball of light cheerfully following his wake. The moment he stopped the flames, the Devil Snare came back with vengeance, slowly closing the hole Harry created. Thankfully, Harry flew through the hole before it could trap him. He landed on the ground softly as he stopped the power holding his body aloft, though his light orb was still around, hovering in front of him.

"Alright, two down and I don't know how many more to go." Harry said cheerfully as he walked towards the only door in the room. He walked past the boundary to find himself in a large chamber. There was a simple door barring his path.

He confidently strode towards it and grasped the handle before giving it a turn. It resisted. Harry tried harder but still the door didn't budge. Growling, Harry tried to destroy the knob but it seemed to mock him for failing to do so. His temper finally got the best of him so he fired a _Reducto_ at the stubborn thing but the spell merely splashed on its surface as if it had a magic dampening field or a shield protecting it from Harry's anger.

"Locked and enchanted to resist forced intrusion, magic or otherwise." Harry grumbled. It was too good to be true to expect things to be easy though from what he experience so far, it was. This challenge was going to be a bit more…challenging. He stretched his senses towards to door and saw that it had a very powerful _locking charm_ and a heavily-fortified _shield charm_ around it. Unfortunately for him, he didn't know the right counter so he needed to do this the hard way.

"This is definitely Professor Flitwick's work if the charms on the door is anything to go by. Now, if I was a Charms Professor, where would I place the key to open the door, hm?" Harry wondered as he looked around the chamber. Nothing was out of the ordinary except for the winged keys flying about…wait what? "Flying keys? You have got to be kidding me. There's like hundreds of them."

Harry used his sharp eyes to follow the keys as each of them flew around the room in random directions. It was quite clear that the keys were enchanted; but unlike the usual levitation and movement-inducing spells, the keys were given wings for freedom of movement. It was quite likely that the diminutive professor used a form of animation spell to keep them moving. His eyes went back to the door and noted the silver handle and the lone key hole above it before looking back up to the keys. He saw a flicker and immediately zeroed in on it. A silver key.

"A silver lock for a silver key. How…original. This proves it. My professors are getting barmy" Harry grunted as he pointed his wand at the cheerfully silver flying key and took aim. _**"Accio Silver Key!"**_

The key didn't zoom into his hand but it struggled a bit, as if resisting the spell Harry cast. There was a brief tug and war which Harry failed miserably. After a few minutes of trying to reel the key in, liking it to fishing, he finally gave up and cancelled the spell.

"I have to give Professor Flitwick some credit. Not only is the door heavily enchanted and magically resistant, the keys are spell resistant as well." Harry mused before his eyes landed on the three brooms beside the door. Of all the stupid… "Now that is just plain idiotic. Why in the world would they give the thief the means to get the key? Now I know that something IS going on."

Not wanting to play cat and mouse with a key as stubborn as him, Harry decided that if the object of his irritation was spell resistant then it was high time to determine if it was sorcery resistant too. He gathered in his Will and held out his hand, visualizing the key zooming through the air and into his grip.

"Come here!" Harry growled as he released his Will.

His irritation must have empowered his command since the key stopped in its tracks before flying towards him at break neck speed. Harry was surprised by its speed and he didn't believe that he could catch it at this rate. Out of desperation, Harry ducked just in time for the key to miss his head by inches to embed on the center of the door with a loud twang.

Harry gave the pinging key an incredulous look and saw how deep it embedded itself into the wooden door, especially through the protection that the Charms professor placed on it.

"Yikes." said Harry as used his sorcery-born telekinesis to pull out the key and let it hover, tip first, into the keyhole, shoved it inside and gave it a twist. There was a loud click before the door swung open to admit him entrance. Sighing in relief, Harry opened the door wide and pulled out the silver key and tossed it to the air. The young sorcerer grinned when the key bolted away from him as if the hounds of hell were after it.

"That should teach you." Harry said while giving the flying key a smug grin before entering the next chamber. The door immediately slammed shut and locked itself with an audible click.

Harry stared at the door for a few seconds before shaking his head. Despite being locked in, he was confident that he could teleport back to his room if he wanted to. He turned around and walked a few steps when the scones on the walls burst into flame revealing the next challenge - a gigantic chess game.

"Holy Merlin, Now THAT is what I call chess!" Harry said in awe as he gazed at the gigantic chessboard in front of him. The pieces were like statues, each sculpted with excellent craftsmanship. He admired it for a few minutes before noticing that the black side of the board lacked three pieces – a bishop, a knight, and a rook.

"If I didn't know any better, I would say that this challenge requires three players to finish judging from the lack of a complete side. However, I am NOT in the mood for this right now." grumbled Harry and waved his wand as he cast Henry Potter's spell, though this one a bit overpowered to blanket the entire room since each of the chess pieces were heavily saturated with magic. The spell latched on to the game pieces, making each of them glow green before dying down.

"Let's see if that worked." Harry mused before stepping into the gigantic board. Slowly, but surely, he neared the other side of the board and the door. None of the game pieces stopped him.

"Ah, Potter 3, Professors 0. I love myself." He crowed in delight before entering the door towards the next chamber, which was mysteriously vacant. He stared at the place for a bit before shaking his head. "Pending challenge, this gets better and better."

Shaking his head, Harry moved to the next chamber unimpeded. He was greeted by a sight of a large wall of purple flame. Curious, he strayed over to the table and saw a piece of paper and seven vials containing some potion of sorts. He looked at the paper and saw something written on it.

_Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,_

_Two of us will help you, whichever you would find,_

_One among us seven will let you move ahead,_

_Another will transport the drinker back instead,_

_Two among our number hold only nettle wine,_

_Three of us are killers, waiting hidden in line._

_Choose, unless you wish to stay here for evermore,_

_To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:_

_First, however slyly the poison tries to hide_

_You will always find some on nettle wine's left side;_

_Second, different are those who stand at either end,_

_But if you would move onwards neither is your friend;_

_Third, as you see clearly, all are different size,_

_Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides;_

_Fourth, the second left and the second on the right_

_Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight._"

"This has Professor Snape's name written all over it. Sure, the potion I understand being a Potions Master but a logic puzzle? That man is sheer genius." said Harry with a hint of admiration in his eyes. The months he spent in the Wizarding World made Harry realize one thing – witches and wizards, especially of pureblood decent, are inherently lacking common sense; preferring to let magic solve everything without straining their brain cells. If a pureblood ever read the paper then they would be staring at it blankly for a very long time.

Deciding to forgo the challenge, he walked over to the inferno and cast the _Flame Freezing Charm_ on himself. The spell worked like a magical version of the Asbestos suit. It wouldn't burn him even if he was subjected to it for hours. The fun part, it works on ALL flame spells, except _Fiendfyre_ since that spell was more spiritual fire than your average ones.

Harry walked through the flame, feeling a tickling sensation as the fire licked at him, not doing any harm, until he found himself in large circular room. In the middle of the room was a pedestal and on top of it was a blood red stone. It was releasing quite a lot of magical power.

"So this is the Philosopher's Stone." Harry mused as he walked closer to the object. However, he stopped himself just in time when he felt the tell-tale sign of a _perimeter ward_ and an _alarm charm_ in place.

Sighing in relief, Harry stepped back from ward, thanking the stars that he stopped himself from tripping it or else the room would have been flooded with professors asking questions that he didn't want answered.

Deciding that he didn't want to get too near to the stone since his aim was to simply check the protections. From what he experienced, only Flitwick and McGonagall's posed of a challenge to a thief. The logic puzzle, while brilliant, wouldn't be enough to deter a thief that could penetrate Gringotts defenses. If the stone was to be kept safe, then something must be done.

Harry looked around the room and decided that he would be placing one of the Potter wards in place. The one he had in mind was a sort of a sentient shield. Anyone who wanted to steal the stone wouldn't be able to penetrate it. However, those who didn't suffer from the temptation would just walk through it without any harm.

To top it off, since it was powered by the ambient magic in the air only guided by his magic to form, it was undetectable; and if it was detected through means unknown, they wouldn't be able to trace it back to him since raw energy was used to form it with his magic guiding the construction before returning to his core with none the wiser.

Grinning, Harry urged his wand into its staff mode and started his incantation as he raised his focus high into the air.

**_"_****_Magicae_****_ meam audient placito, benedic hoc loco tueri. Qui malum non est qui curet tutela manebit. Sic, sic fiat."_**

Harry chanted the Latin incantation three times as his staff glowed brightly each time and Harry could feel his magic exiting his staff as it started to guide the ambient magic into the room to conform to his desire.

When the last syllable of the third chant was said, the staff flared and bathing the room in a bright light. Harry felt the ward snap in place, covering the walls, ceiling and floor with its magical protection. Cutting off the power to his staff, the glow started to die down until all that was left was a few tell-tale glitter before it too disappeared. Harry felt his released magic return to him via the staff before settling back into his core.

"Now that's over and one with, time to make tracks." said Harry as he used his Will to translocate himself back to the chamber with the chess board and dispelled the _Congelamento Magia_ with a simple _Finite Incantatem_. He teleported back to the room with the sleeping Cerberus and closed the hatch on the trapdoor before removing the one he placed on it as well.

Nodding for a job well done, he sent a gentle nudge to the Cerberus' three minds before teleporting out of the chamber back to his room in Ravenclaw Tower.

The Cerberus woke up with a jump before looking around for an intruder. It relaxed when it saw none but immediately tensed when it saw itself standing beside the closed trapdoor that was once his bed.

* * *

**Spells outside Canon that Harry used:**

**Congelamento Magia (Magic Freeze)**

A spell created specifically by Henry Potter to temporarily stop the effect of any ward while leaving the enchantment intact. The spell was created as a means to bypass a ward's protection without having to destroy it.

This spell is easily cancelled with a simple _Finite Incantatem _though it is necessary to mention that only the caster of the _Congelamento Magia_ can cancel it. Any other who tries to cancel the spell, whether overpowered or not, will result in a failure.

The caster would know that the _Congelamento Magia_ worked if the enchanted or warded object glows green.

**Potter-made Intent-based Shield Ward (Enchantment-type spell, chant needed, Latin-based)**

Incantation: **_"_****_Magicae_****_ meam audient placito, benedic hoc loco tueri. Qui malum non est qui curet tutela manebit. Sic, sic fiat."_**

Translation: **_"Magic hear my plea, bless this place to protect. Those who harm shall not pass, those who care protection will last. So I say, so mote it be."_**

As the name implied, the Shield Ward was modified by one of Harry's ancestor, William Potter, to integrate an intent-based ward with a powerful shield. The modified Shield Ward works as an impregnable barrier that stops anyone with ill-intent (or negative intent as visualized by the caster) from entering within; otherwise, it will just let the person pass without problem.

The casting of this spell requires perfect control of one's conscious mind. The caster needs to properly visualize how he wanted the Shield Ward to work, keeping in the mind the conditions for entry.

The Potter-modified Shield Ward is undetectable by any known means because it is powered by raw magic lacking any signature. Like ambient magic, it is pure magic without any form of sentience. The spell would utilize the caster's magic to guide the raw magic to form the ward. Once done, the magic released by the caster would return, erasing any trace of their presence in the area.

* * *

**End of chapter 11. **

**Please leave a comment or review. **


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Belgariad**

**Chapter 12: Christmas at the Beach**

Harry was currently lounging in one of the beach chairs just outside Prong's Hideout in one of the islands of Hawaii, a warded private beach along the Peolua Bay. The young Potter had to hand it in for his dad, James Potter definitely knew how to enjoy life and Prong's Hideout was a testament to that.

According to Bubua, the house elf in charge of the place, his dad usually spent most of his summers here along with Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew while they were still at Hogwarts. In fact, Bubua informed his new lord and master that Master James took Mistress Lily here for their honeymoon, spending the whole month enjoying the beach and touring the rest of the island, of course, making love under the bright light of the moon.

Harry had a distinct feeling that he was 'created' by his parents somewhere in the area; not that he minded. The place was perfect, after all.

Now it was Harry's turn to enjoy it and he had it all to himself; well, technically, he had Zieg, Hedwig, and Floppy with him but he didn't care. He was having fun for a change away from the hustle and bustle of magic, away from his hateful relatives, and definitely away from people who wanted to control his life.

Here, he was simply himself and be a kid.

He had been in Prong's Hideout for five days now. After disembarking from King's Cross and saying good bye to his friends, Harry immediately pretended that his uncle was there to pick him up. However, when he crossed the barrier to the muggle world, he made a beeline to the nearest look and teleported just outside of Gringotts, met with Griphook to receive the pre-arranged portkey he had the goblin make in advance before leaving Hogwarts, and whisked away to this summer paradise with no one the wiser.

Despite enjoying some alone time, his mind was still formulating a plan on how to get Sirius a trial. Harry knew that it would be difficult especially the lack of evidence to prove that his godfather wasn't at fault. He could also use the Godfather's Vow, a magical vow that all godfathers should undergo; but this might not hold in court since the wizarding judicial system wasn't as…accepting. After all, lack of common sense was a norm and a privilege that they all have and love.

So here he was now trying to come up with Plan A which is to find a way to get Sirius a fair trial before resorting to Plan B, a plan that he lovingly dubbed as 'Get Sirius Out of Azkaban' plan. Both had plenty of wrinkles that needed to be ironed out and Harry wasn't sure where to start.

However, when his eyes landed on Zieg who was taking a peaceful nap under the shadow of a rather large tree, an idea sparked in his head.

"Hey Zieg." Harry called out to his familiar. Zieg raised his head before giving Harry a questioning look. "You can travel to any shadows right?"

Zieg nodded an affirmative, cocking his head to the side to show that he was listening.

"You see, I was thinking." Harry began to explain his plan to his rather talented familiar. "Getting a trial for my godfather has a low chance of being successful. However, I'm starting to think that the best way to get Sirius out is to arrange a jailbreak of sorts. So I was thinking, can you travel into Azkaban and bust Sirius out using your shadow travel?"

Zieg thought about it for a moment before looking at Harry in the eye. That was the thing about Zieg. He was incapable of speech, mental or vocal. However, he usually conveyed his intent to Harry in a form of visions or mental images, whichever works. It was disconcerting at first but Harry got used to it and considered it an effective form of communication though not as quick as he would like.

Harry's eyes glazed as he was assaulted by a vision coming from his familiar. When that was done, he frowned.

"You can't travel to a place you haven't been to though you can easily follow a trail if you have the smell of the person you want to track. That might be tricky since we don't know where to get an item with Sirius scent on it." Harry mused before taking a sip of his coconut juice. Another vision assaulted him making Harry palm his face in irritation. "Damn, I forgot that dad used to take Sirius here with the rest of his gang. If he stayed here then it is quite possible that my godfather had a few of his stuff here with his scent on it. Thanks for pointing that out to me, Zieg. Bubua!"

A house elf wearing a grass skirt appeared with a pop.

"Anything Bubua be helping Master Harry with?" said Bubua excitedly in his squeaky voice. Ever since the elf found out that the Potter family had a new lord, the elf was ecstatic and eager to please, more so when the bond was renewed. Thankfully, Bubua didn't die or go crazy from the lack of magic since he was bonded to the place and the ambient magic in the area was enough to give him the necessary magic to tick. Bonding to Harry just gave him a power boost of sorts.

"Yes, Bubua. Thanks for coming so promptly." this praise made the happy elf beam at him in pride. "Do you think Sirius had a few of his stuff back at the house?"

"Mister Paddy?" asked Bubua, cocking his head to the side.

"Who's Mister Paddy?" Harry asked incredulously. Did the elf change subject all of a sudden?

"Mister Paddy be Master James' friend. Mister Siri Black." Bubua informed Harry who nodded in realization.

"_Where in the world did that 'paddy' come from? Mental note, ask Griphook if my dad left some journals back at the vault or at the ruined house in Godric's Hollow." _Harry thought to himself before addressing the elf out loud. "Fine. Mister Paddy it is. Do you think Mister Paddy still have some of his stuff around?"

"Sure, Master Harry, sir. Mister Paddy's stuff be in his room on second floor. You want me to pack a trunk for yous?" Bubua said excitedly, eager to do anything for his master.

"Er, not really, Bubua." Harry said immediately. He only needed an item with Sirius' scent on it, not a closetful of the stuff. "However, can you get me one of his clothes? Preferably unwashed if there's one. If not, then give me the most recent one he wore before leaving the island."

"Ah, Mister Paddy be leaving his clothes in his room. I remember he had them in his trunk. Me get it for master now." Bubua said with a smile before popping out. He returned a few seconds later holding a rather faded red robe that had a…pungent smell to it. Considering that it was probably more than a decade ago that Sirius was here, the smell was quite obvious.

"Ah, thank you, Bubua." said Harry as he levitated the robe off the elf's hands. Bubua was staring at his new master in pure awe.

"Master Harry be a Sorcerer! Mistress Lily and Master James would be so proud." the elf crowed in delight as he danced a jig around a rather amused Harry.

"Thanks, Bubua. Now, why don't you go back to the house and do…do what it is you did before I called." Harry suggested since the elf was too excitable to control. Floppy was excitable yes but she had control over it.

"Bubua be making Hawaiin dish for Master Harry and his familiars. Bubua be going back to finish it now." the elf declared before popping out but not before seeing Harry drool at the idea of tasting another one of the elf's Hawaiian cooking. Bubua might have his fault but he was an excellent cook.

"Damn, we are going to be eating well tonight." Harry said to Zieg who nodded his head eagerly. His familiar liked Bubua's cooking too. "Anyway, here's Sirius' robe. Can you check if it had enough of his scent on it to merit a successful tracking? Be careful though. It's doesn't exactly smell like a rose right now"

Harry could hear his familiar snort before padding over and took a whiff from the robe. Zieg gave out a disgusted cough before leveling his bonded a glare. Harry immediately raised his hand in surrender.

"Oi. I told you that it wouldn't smell good." Harry stated defensively. Zieg merely huffed and sent a vision to Harry that he would start tracking Sirius' scent tomorrow. "Alright. Let's enjoy the day and you can search for Sirius tomorrow. When you find him, don't confront him yet. We need to plan our next move before that happens."

Zieg merely nodded before going back to his favorite spot. Harry shook his head and leaned back on the beach chair and taking another sip of his juice, but not before banishing Sirius' robe.

Tomorrow, the search for his godfather would begin. He just hoped that Zieg could find the man considering that he had been rotting in prison for more than a decade now.

* * *

Harry woke up in the morning of Christmas with a look of surprise on his face. There on the foot of his bed were a pile of neatly wrapped presents. He looked at it with disbelief for a few seconds before rubbing his eyes and looking back at pile. He had presents?

"Wow. How in the world did those get here?" Harry wondered out loud. As if to answer his question, Floppy popped into the room holding another present and neatly placing it on the pile. "Floppy?"

Floppy squeaked in surprise before looking at her master.

"Master Harry sir. You're awake now. Merry Christmas to you, sir. Floppy was popping your present from your auntie's house since they were mailed there." Floppy informed Harry who gave the elf a look of disbelief.

"You teleported from here to England and back? That's leagues away. I don't think even I could teleport that far." exclaimed Harry before looking at the number of presents on the pile. He looked back at the elf with concerns. "Are you alright? Do you need rest?"

Floppy let out a squeaky laugh. Her master was really one of a kind.

"No Master Harry sir. Floppy isn't tired. As long as Floppy is bonded to you, I have plenty of magic to pop anywhere in the world many times. Not bonded elves would have problem popping from here to home but it is not a problem for Floppy. Master Harry is a powerful wizard so Floppy has plenty of magic to pop anytime." the elf declared with a proud smile on her face. Harry stood up from his bed and went over to the elf and gave her a hug causing her to blush.

"Thanks, Floppy. You're the best." said Harry with a smile when he let go of the elf. Floppy managed to control her blushing enough to speak coherently.

"You's be welcome, Master Harry. Now, open your presents since I got all of them. I will go down to the kitchen to help Bubua with breakfast. I will come and get you when we're done. Enjoy, sir." Floppy declared before popping out of the room causing Harry to shake his head and smiled at his elf's antics. Suddenly, a child-like smile appeared on his face as he stared at the pile of presents. He literally jumped into the pile and started opening them one by one. It was a good thing that he already sent the presents he had for his friends a few days ago so he wasn't guilty indulging himself.

Daphne sent him a pair of black dragonhide boots. According to the letter included in the present, it came from a Romanian Black, a dragon well-known for its durable and magically-resistant hide. Harry didn't wasn't any time to pull off his slippers and pulled the boots on. It automatically shrunk to give him a snug fit. It was perfect. He was so going to wear it from now on.

Tracy's present came in the form of a watch. Considering how time-conscious he was, it was a very appropriate gift. A Timex watch was very expensive and Harry assumed that Tracy used his muggle friends or maybe his mother to buy the gift for him. Considering that there wasn't any enchantment on the watch, Harry decided to add the usual charms to it later when he had time. It wouldn't do for Tracy's gift to get damaged because of magic, after all.

Draco gave him a set of wizarding robes, six of them in different colors. According to the tag, it was made from Acromantula silk, giving it a bit of spell resistance and charmed to be always clean. It would also shrink or enlarge to fit his frame so he wouldn't have to worry about formal robes anytime soon.

Pansy sent a pair of earrings, or to be more specific, a pair of sapphire earrings. It was clearly made for a man due to the lack of design than its girly counterpart had. He made a note to check Diagon Alley if a shop there offered piercings since he definitely liked Pansy's gift enough to wear them as soon as possible.

Harry had to roll his eyes when he opened Crabbe and Goyle's gifts. It was packed to the brim with wizarding sweets. Sure, he had a sweet tooth but those two gave him enough to last him a year. He was thankful for the gift though since he didn't need to buy some just to indulge his cravings.

Blaise gift actually came as a surprise. It was a set of books that almost made Harry drool. The Zabini heir sent him a compendium of potions books, or more specifically, a compendium of books detailing the recipe of hundreds of potions invented since the dark ages to the present. It was a perfect gift for Harry since he loved Potions with a passion that could easily rival Snape's.

Neville sent him a rare bonsai tree that the Longbottom heir noted in a letter that it came from a Japan. It was a magical Pygmy Oak and it was one of the rarest plant in the world. It was also a prized plant by Potion Masters since the root of a Pygmy Oak was the best stabilizing agent to many flammable ingredients used in potion brewing. Harry vowed to take care of the gift since it was worth a fortune in the Wizarding World. How Neville got hold of one he would never know though he never doubted his friend's passion in Herbology so it would be easy for him to find out where to get one.

Harry also received a bunch of gifts from students who frequented his study session with his Slytherin pals, along with letters and cards expressing their thanks for helping them in their lessons. This made Harry smile since he liked to help those that needed it.

The gifts from his peers ranged from dueling books to snacks. Again, Harry had to shake his head at the latter since, with the addition of Brute one and two's gifts, he had enough sweets now to last him TWO years. He had to snicker at the thought.

However, the last gift was a curiosity since it wasn't wrapped like the rest – a simple brown paper unlike the other gifts who were clearly designed for the Yuletide season. The gift had a note attached to it stating that this belonged to his father and was left in someone's care. The note also said to use it well. It wasn't signed.

Curiously, Harry pulled the strings on the gift and removed the brown paper. It was a cloak of some sort and the young sorcerer could feel the magic rolling off it in waves. He stood up and walked over to a mirror and placed the cloak around his shoulders. He wasn't prepared for his body to disappear, leaving only his head floating in air. He looked incredulously at his reflection before taking the cloak off his shoulder which resulted in his body appearing again. He looked at the cloak and finally recognizing what it was.

This was an Invisibility Cloak! This was his _dad's_ Invisibility Cloak.

He was so excited to finally have another piece of his parents with him that he only realized a bit later as to why his father left such a powerful artifact to someone.

Also, another question popped into his head. Who sent him the cloak?

* * *

It was in the afternoon while Harry was making a huge sandcastle using his wand when his mobile phone rang. He levitated the gadget over to him and saw that it was Bridgette. He grinned before using the tip of his wand to press the accept button and pressed another to activate the loudspeaker.

"Hi Bridgette!" Harry greeted his female best friend. "Merry Christmas!"

"_Merry Christmas to you too, brother dearest. Anyway, where in blue blazes are you? I just left your aunt's house and she told me that you didn't spend Christmas with them. You better tell me where you are right now mister or I'm going to be very cross with you." _came Bridgette's voice from the speaker.

"Settle down, sis. I'm here in Hawaii right now. To be more precise, I'm spending my Christmas vacation here in my dad's cabin by the beach." Harry answered trying to placate his clearly irritated friend while flicking his wand to even out one of the towers of his budding castle. It was a bit…rough for his taste.

"_No wonder William told me you weren't around earlier. I called him up when I found out you weren't at your aunts. He came by yesterday to give you your gifts but you weren't around so he is currently in London with his family before going back to America tomorrow." _Bridgette paused, realizing something. _"You're spending your Christmas alone in Hawaii?"_

"Uh huh. Nothing wrong with that." Harry replied with a grin on his face. It would seem that his surrogate sister slash best friend was getting worried. "You could always visit me I suppose. I'll be here until January 5 so there's plenty of time for you to come over."

"_Nuh uh. Mom won't let me since we are going to attend a…family reunion of sort this coming New Year. However, if you're going to spend your summer there again, I might tag along. I'm sure William would love to join too."_

"That's a splendid idea, sister mine. I will make sure to plan for it. You mentioned you have 'gifts'? As in plural?" asked Harry incredulously and he could feel Bridgette rolling her eyes.

"_I only have one gift for you but mother bought you a few…stuffs that she didn't tell me about. William also had one but his father packed a few things for you as well. You know, Harry dear, I have this feeling that our parents love you more than us." _Bridgette said with a fake sniffle. _"I feel so unloved."_

"Ha ha. Very funny. I sent yours and William's gifts to the address that both of you gave me before both of you left Britain. I hope you got them." said Harry. He sent his gifts in one of the courier service in the town near his dad's vacation home two days before Christmas. Judging from the fact that he paid for first class delivery, it should have arrived by now

"_Oh, if that is the case then your gift for me should be in my family home in China and William's gift should be in their penthouse in America. I'm sure we'll see what you gave us when we get it upon returning there. So anyway, how is your schooling coming along? What are you taking for college anyway?"_

"Uh, I'm taking an online class on Computer Programming and Engineering. I don't think I'm ready for college yet since I'm going to be surrounded by people who are older and taller than me. I might have grown since we last saw each other but I don't think I'm that tall yet."

"_Sorry to say this, Harry, but you are rather short."_ Bridgette bluntly pointed out.

"I am not short. I still haven't hit my growth spurt yet and I'm still 11 for crying out loud. Give me a break!" Harry declared with an indignant look on his face. It must have reflected on his voice since Bridgette gave a snicker from the other line.

"_Keep telling yourself that, Harry. Anyway, if you give me your current address, I'll send you your gifts right now when I reach London. Pierre is currently driving me to the mall as we speak. I can have it special delivered to your location so you can get it in a day or two. I'll contact William with your address as well so he can send it too."_

"Ah, well, if you really want to then send it to Prong's Hideout in Peolua Bay, West Maui, Hawaii."

"_Prong's Hideout? Weird name. Sound like a pirate's cove or something."_ Bridgette quipped causing Harry to give the phone a deadpan look.

"Ha ha ha. You're hilarious." Harry said sarcastically.

"_Did I also mention that you're getting snarkier as well?"_

"I love you too, sis."

"_I know. Honestly, who wouldn't love me? Anyway, we're close to the mall now. I'll call you later after I send your gifts, alright? Make sure you give me a call when you receive them. Give William a call too though I doubt he'll answer since the lazy idiot told me he was going to sleep for the whole day, jetlag and all that jazz."_

"William has always been lazy. I'll give him a call later this evening or tomorrow, London time. Take care, sis."

"_You too, Harry. I'll tell mom where you are or she's going to send out a search party. You know how…excitable she is especially when you're concerned."_

"That she is. Anyway, got to run. I still have to finish my sandcastle. I'll take a picture of it when I'm done and I'll send it to you via email. It's going to be huge!" Harry said excitedly.

"_Fine. I'll wait for it then. Toodles."_ Bridgette said before cutting off the line.

Shaking his head, Harry levitated the phone back on the towel before putting all his attention on his half-finished castle. He would finish his masterpiece by the end of the day even if it killed him.

* * *

Harry was confused. It was on the 3rd of January that Zieg finally returned from tracking his godfather. From the vision his familiar sent him, he was able to finally locate Azkaban and the location of his godfather's cell. What confused him, however, was why a dog was in the cell instead of a man?

Thankfully, Zieg answered him by sending a vision of sensing that the dog was a transformed man, like what he could do but a bit different. Harry pondered on that a bit until he finally recognized what his familiar saw. His godfather was a bloody dog animagus.

From what he learned of the Dementors of Azkaban, it was a blessing for Sirius to be one since the guards of the prison only affected human emotion. With his animal side on the fore, Sirius would be mildly protected from their negative effects. Also, Sirius having access to his animagus form was a clear testament that his godfather was still mentally sound since it takes a powerful mind and magic in order to shift.

The first phase of the plan was to bust Sirius out though Harry had to consider that such an act would result in the Wizarding World going up in arms because a 'mass murderer' just escaped. Harry knew that getting his godfather out with a half-cooked plan would someday bite him in the arse.

The second phase of the plan was what to do with Sirius when he gets out of prison. Of course, the first priority would be to make sure that the man was well-hidden since the Wizarding World would surely look for him, though that could be easily remedied since Prong's Hideout was under a family fidelius with him as the Secret Keeper. No one would find Sirius here.

In continuation to that, Sirius would need a lot of medical attention since the Dementors of Azkaban would have surely done a number on the man's health. Bubua could easily take care of the man as long as the supplies were available.

Harry was about to jot the ideas down when a thought hit him.

Why wait to help Sirius since he could easily do so right now without anyone noticing.

Grinning, he called up his two favorite elves to help him with its execution.

* * *

**End of chapter 12**

**Please leave a comment or a review. **


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Belgariad.**

**Chapter 13: From Azkaban with Love.**

Sirius Black was currently in his dog animagus form trying to fight off the chill encompassing his form as the Dementors of Azkaban roamed the hall just outside his cell.

He had been in this hell for almost 11 years and would have been a broken man if not for fact that he was innocent and looked forward to the day that his innocence would be proven and freedom gained. In truth, it had been this mantra that saved him from wallowing into depression to end up a broken man like the other prisoners in this wretched place.

Sirius was forever thankful that he learned how to become an animagus with his friends while still at Hogwarts. He and his best friend and blood brother, James Potter, and the traitor, Peter Pettigrew, decided to become animagus in hopes to accompany their friend, Remus Lupin, during full moon nights when his werewolf curse was active. In fact, it was the act that brought all of them together and formed a bond that made them brothers in all but blood.

His mood soured when he recalled how Peter Pettigrew betrayed the man he considered a brother and his family. He felt a bit guilty of suggesting to Albus to change _Secret Keeper_ for the _Fidelius Charm_ protecting the Potter vacation home since he was the most obvious choice. Of course, the aged Headmaster immediately agreed to his request and chose Peter Pettrigrew, being the weakest magically and physically of the Marauders, to bear the burden of the secret.

It was the worst mistake in the life of Sirius Orion Black and he was wrong to trust the aged wizard who could have given testament that he wasn't the one to blame for the Potter's death.

They didn't know it, but should have suspected it, that Peter was already working for Voldemort. Without hesitation, the rat ratted out the secret location of the Potters causing their deaths. However, it was because of this action that allowed the end of the First Wizarding War – his beloved godson, Harry James Potter, the son of his blood brother, James Potter, and his wife, Lily Potter nee Evans, reflected the Killing Curse back to the Dark Lord which destroyed the leader of the Dark faction and giving the Light side a victory.

When he went back to the Potter home in Godric's Hollow, he was dismayed to see the entire second floor blasted off by the shockwave of Voldemort's _Killing Curse_ hitting its caster. He wept as he saw his blood brother dead in the living room and his wife at the nursery beside a crying Harry who was nursing a bloody lightning bolt scar on his forehead.

He quickly scooped his beloved godson out of the destroyed crib and rushed out of the house. It was there that he met Hagrid on orders from Dumbledore to take his godson to safety.

Of course, being the trusting sort he was when it concerned to Dumbledore at that time, he immediately relinquished his hold on Harry to the giant and even lent the man his motorbike so he could take Harry to safety faster than walking since Hagrid couldn't perform magic as his wand was snapped while he was still studying at Hogwarts.

It was after that event that Sirius immediately followed his grieving heart to hunt down Peter Pettrigrew, the rat, the traitor. He finally found him two days later in a muggle neighborhood and cornered him there.

In an act that Sirius didn't expect from Pettigrew, the rat-like man pulled out his wand and shot a powerful _Blasting Hex _at the street he was standing on. The spell hit the gas line causing everything in the area to explode, killing the twelve muggles in the act. Of course, Peter escape leaving only a bloodied finger on the destroyed street, clearly faking his death.

Sirius was so stunned at that sly action from a former friend that he broke down laughing. It was there that his hell started. Aurors materialized on the scene, stunned him, and carted him off to Azkaban without a benefit of an inquiry or a trial.

Here he was now, Sirius Orion Black, dog animagus, curling up in his cramped cell trying to survive another cold day. It would have been like any other day in this pig sty but something different happened that both baffled and elated him.

While he was curled up on the floor, something dropped on his head causing his dog instincts to snap. Sirius immediately jumped and took a defensive stance, looking around his tiny cell to see who or what the intruder was. His rather sharp eyes inadvertently dropped to a small box the size of a golf ball in front of him. Curious, he shifted back to his human form and cautiously tapped the box with a finger.

He didn't expect for the box to enlarge to a normal looking trunk.

Baffled at why a trunk was here, he immediately ran to the door of his cell and peered through the bars. He didn't see any of the human guards or the Dementors so he immediately walked over the trunk and dragged it back to the back of the cell where there was plenty of darkness to cover him.

Sirius studied the trunk under the light of the moon that came in through the small window at the back of the cell. He saw that it was the standard three-compartment trunk that could be bought in any magical alley all over the world. Since dogs were relatively curious as was their instinct, Sirius opened the first compartment to see a letter. He immediately tore through the envelope, but not before seeing his name on the face, and read through its content.

What he read definitely surprised him.

_Dear Sirius,_

_Hope this letter finds you well… better considering where you are at the moment. I think it would be safe to say that you're surprised at the sudden appearance of a shrunken trunk in your cell. But before I'll answer that, let me introduce myself. _

_My name is Harry James Potter, and if formality is to be observed, I am your godson. _

_I'll decide to be blunt with this letter since there is no use dragging things out. _

_For starters, I know that you're innocent. When I learned of your predicament, I immediately started my own research as to what really happened that caused my parent's death. Using my connections, I dug up every single information pertaining to the First Wizarding War and Voldemort. _

_What I found concerning you confused and angered me at the same time. Let me highlight it here and after you read it, your question as to how I know that you are innocent would be answered to its fullest. _

_One, you didn't get a trial. At the end of the war, the various Death Eaters captured by the Ministry were given a trial and those guilty of siding with Voldemort were judiciously thrown into Azkaban. Why do these Death Eaters get a trial when you, the supposed betrayer of my family, did not? I think that would be obvious that something was wrong with the system. _

_Two, how did I know that you didn't get a trial? Easy. I had one of my…friends retrieve the transcripts of all the trials during and after the First Wizarding War. I know that you didn't get a trial because there were no transcripts detailing the events. From the looks of it, you were chucked directly into Azkaban without so much as a by your leave. _

_Three, I learned from my friend that all godfathers in the Wizarding World swear a magical vow of sorts. If you were the one who betrayed my family then it would be quite obvious that you wouldn't be in prison right now. You would have been struck down dead the moment you told Voldemort of the location where my family and I were hiding. _

_Hope these three points answered as to WHY I know you are innocent. Now, on to the purpose of this letter. _

_I am currently working on a way to get you out of there. The first option is to get you a trial. _

_However, I have my doubts with this plan because of your circumstances. If you, a pureblood wizard with ties to one of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Houses of Wizarding Britain, didn't get a trial in the past then getting you one now would be useless. I don't trust the wizarding government to do a good job since they practically sat the whole time during the First Wizarding War when Voldemort and his death munchers were running amuck. _

_Also, the only evidence I have that would help you was the magical vow you took when I was christened. I don't think that would stick with the various lords and ladies of the Wizengamot, don't you think?_

_The next best option is to break you out of there. I think it would be safe to say that you're wondering why I didn't do just that right now considering how I snuck this trunk into your cell without anyone noticing. I didn't get you out of there because of the fact that your disappearance from prison would have caused the wizarding world to bonkers. If you escape then it is an obvious fact that they would be hounding you till you're caught. Life on the run is not a pleasant life to live. _

_The original plan was to bust you out and hide you in Prong's Hideout (I'm here right now enjoying my Christmas vacation as I write this letter). You would have been well-hidden here because the place is under a form of family Fidelius with me as the Secret Keeper. However, this would still cause an uproar that would lead to repercussions that we would both be unprepared for. _

_Such is the case; I decided to wait when the time is right. While doing that, I decided that I would go for the next best thing…make sure that you're stay there is mildly comfortable and to make sure that your back to good health. _

_This is the reason why you have a three compartment trunk. _

_The first compartment where you found this letter was charmed by Bubua, the elf of Prong's Hideout, which would act as a transporter of sorts. Anything placed there will be transported to a spare trunk here in Hawaii, and vice versa. You will get some decent food through it and anything else you desire. If you didn't notice, the first compartment right now should also have some parchment and an enchanted calligraphy pen. Write whatever you need on the parchment, place it on the first compartment, close the lid and tap the carved owl on the side of the trunk. That would activate the enchantment and send the parchment to its sister trunk. _

_The second compartment is a warded space. It is enchanted to the size similar to your room here in Prong's Hideout. However, what makes this compartment different is its ability to make sure that any magic you perform wouldn't be detected outside. _

_Yes, you heard right, godfather of mine; you will be doing magic since it is not healthy to not use it while in prison. The second compartment contains some books on Wandless Magic. READ THEM! I can't give you a wand since that would be impossible without your trying it out yourself. I don't think that sending you hundreds of wands would be a good idea. Read the book and practice some wandless magic. It will help in the future, trust me. I am quite proficient in wandless magic myself. _

_The third compartment is a bedroom. I doubt you will be sleeping there considering that you're in prison and guards would be checking up on you following a schedule or some sort. However, the bedroom is a great place to relax if you have the time but I want to point out that it has its own bathroom. Take a bath, Sirius. Toiletries are inside and there are some clothes there though I advise against wearing them until you got some control over your magic. You need to put a glamour or something similar to make sure that they don't find out that you're living a good life there. _

_Well, that's enough for now. At the moment, we are currently beside the other trunk, waiting for your letter expectantly. We can exchange stories later when I find a more suitable communication medium for us. For now, write everything you think you might need for your stay there. Your goal is to be as healthy as possible – physically, emotionally, and magically - before I get you out. _

_Stay safe, you'll be out of there soon, Sirius. _

_With love,_

_Your godson,_

_Harry. _

Sirius finished the letter with mixed emotions. He was both happy and baffled at the same time.

Happy that his godson knew that he was innocent of the crime placed on him, happy that his godson was going through such lengths to make sure that he survive Azkaban. Heck, he was happy that Harry was doing his best to get him out and even went to such lengths to make sure that he was brought to a semblance of health.

What baffled him, however, was how Harry was doing this. The letter made certain facts come to light as he read it for the second time.

One, Harry knew of Prong's Hideout. Meaning, he already had access to his inheritance which was a good thing.

Two, Harry knew how to do wandless magic? That was very rare and only a small percentage of the wizarding public knew how to cast spells wandlessly.

Three, Harry was a genius. The letter was well written and explained everything that he needed answered.

Sirius grinned despite himself and couldn't wait to meet his godson and be with him as should have been his right. He would make sure that he followed Harry's instructions to the letter.

Elated, Sirius went back the trunk and took out the pen and a parchment. He started writing a brief note to his godson, as well as some things he needed to make sure that he survived prison until the day he would see his godson again.

* * *

Harry was pacing in front of the trunk, a twin of the one he sent to Sirius. As he paced, he would keep glancing at the item to see if it glowed, signaling that an item has been received from the other one. It had been an hour since he had Zieg deliver the enchanted trunk to his godfather and he was anxiously waiting for a reply.

It was half an hour later that the trunk glowed. Awaiting the signal, Harry immediately opened the lid to see a rolled up parchment. He immediately took it out, unrolled it –discovering that it was two parchments - and started to read.

_Dear Harry_

_I know you said to leave the mushy stuff for later but I just want to say thank you. I survived Azkaban because I knew I was innocent, thus my sanity remained intact unlike my neighbors here. I spent every day thinking how you were, whose family you ended up with, how they treated you…all of these kept me sane. _

_Anyway, we can talk about that later. How in bloody Merlin did you get this trunk here? Azkaban is practically more warded than Hogwarts. I was shocked out of my fur when I felt something hit my head. My animagus form almost had a heart attack._

_Right, now that I got that out of my system, let's talk about this wonderful trunk you sent me. I wrote this letter first before I plan to check it out. If you're reading this then I'm currently in the middle of checking out the bedroom. The warded compartment I will do later since I want to enjoy the feeling of a clean bathroom for a change. If you're curious, Azkaban isn't exactly a five-star resort and the closest thing to a loo I have here is a plain old wooden bucket. Gross? I know._

_Now, you said that you want me to write the things I need to be healthy, so I'm going to make a list. Some of the items would be quite hard for you to get considering that you're still 11 years old. However, I'm sure Bubua can help you there since that elf was a godsend when your father and I needed rare items for our pranks back when we were still at Hogwarts. _

_Aside from getting three healthy meals a day and some snacks and drinks on the side, here are some items I really need to survive Azkaban. _

_The first item is a rare potion that was created when Azkaban was put up that would ward off the effects of a Dementor. I'm sure that the Wardens of Azkaban have these in stock but from what I heard when I was still working as an Auror, the potion was regulated by the Ministry since they didn't want it to be used by the wrong sort. _

_Anyway, the potion is called the __**Aura Protection Potion**__ and had the effect of shielding the drinker from the negative aura produced by Dementors. However, one vial of the potion lasts for only a day so I will need quite a lot since you're still not sure when you're going to break me out of here. If you can make it, supply me with a week worth of stock per delivery. If you can push it, get me a month's worth just in case._

_Speaking of which, you are quite right to say that you will have problems presenting your evidence in front of the Wizengamot if they do decide to give me a trial. Considering that the idiot Fudge is still in power, don't expect any rational decisions from him and the Wizengamot for that matter._

_Also, pup, I want to warn you about Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. I think it would be safe to say that you're already studying at Hogwarts, if you are, then I want you to be very careful around the man. _

_It is not a known fact but it was the Headmaster who cast the _Fidelius Charm_ protecting your parent's safe house in Godric's Hollow. If you don't know what a _Fidelius Charm_ is, it is a powerful enchantment that hides a location from everyone. Only the _Secret Keeper_ knows of the location and only the Secret Keeper can reveal it. I was supposed to be the Secret Keeper but I argued that it should be given to Peter Pettigrew, the rat who was part of our group. Of course, the Headmaster immediately agreed to the switch. Now that I had time to think back on that event, the Headmaster agreed too quickly which is very surprising considering the situation we were in at that time. _

_Now, when I got arrested and thrown in Azkaban, I waited for the Dumbledore to bail me out since he knew that I'm not the Potter's Secret Keeper. I waited for days, weeks, months, and years until I finally gave up. If that old coot intended for me to be released then he should have done so sooner, he is the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot for Merlin's sake. When he didn't then I started thinking that he might have some hand in what happened to me. What? I don't know. Anyway, just keep your guard up around Dumbledore. He's up to something and we don't know what that is. _

_Back to my list, I need some nutrient potions as well since you plan to return my health before I got tossed in this loony bin. Some muscle rejuvenation potion would help since my cell is too cramped to get some good exercise. If I remember my time at the hospital wing, muscle rejuvenation needs to be taken for a month. If the warded compartment in the trunk is large enough then I'm going to do some physical exercise to keep me in shape. _

_In regards to me practicing magic, you want me to do wandless magic? Are you insane? Only a very small percentage in the entire wizarding population could do wandless magic and they are mostly limited to first year spell. However, I will trust your decision on this so I'm going to give this a try. Besides, I don't have anything better to do so might as well spend it doing something constructive. _

_Oh yeah, before I forget. It's amazing that you know wandless magic. For an 11 year old to achieve such a feat, you are either the next Merlin or just very gifted at magic. It takes a lot of willpower and focus, as well as control over your magic to pull it off. If you have all three then I bow to your greatness, pup. I'm sure you're going to breeze through Hogwarts with your talent._

_Speaking of which, can you get a book on Occlumency? Being an Auror, I was required to have a smidgen of Occlumency shields to protect me from mental attacks. However, I slacked off when learning this important skill so I need to relearn it again. Also, the Dementors destroyed whatever mental shields I had so I need to start from scratch. The Occlumency book will help me relearn the subject since your father was the one who taught me to make a mental shield when we signed up for the Auror Training Program. This time, I'm going to do it the right way. _

_Could you ask Bubua to send me an enchanted ice box from Diagon Alley and fill it up with snacks and a lot of drinks (preferably Firewhiskey but considering I'm not really up to snuff, Butterbeer and some mild drinks would do, though Firewhiskey would be perfect to warm my old bones *wink wink*)._

_I think that's all for now, pup. Again, thank you for giving your godfather a chance in your life. I promise you this. When I get out of here, I'm all yours. _

_You're parents would be proud of what you have become, pup, and I am quite proud of you too. _

_Love,_

_Sirius_

_PS. My animal form is named Padfoot, just so you know. I suggest that you get a book on animagi. Being able to turn into an animal has its perks. _

_PPS. Get the money for the cost of the supplies from my hidden vault. When you get to Gringotts, look for Livereater (aren't goblin names fun?), he should be able to get you the necessary funds you need. If you're asking how you can access the vault, simple, that vault was supposed to be for OUR use. When I became your godfather, I started putting money in there for stuff that I wanted to buy you and in case Lily's acts up and gets stingy on money when you want something, you have another source of allowance at your disposal. Smart, right?_

_PPPS. Try to look for Remus Lupin if you can. That old wolf needs company and I know you're the best one to give it. _

Harry couldn't help but grin as he finished Sirius letter though that grin turned to a frown immediately when he realized that his godfather was correct. How come Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, and Grand Sorcerer of the International Confederate of Wizards, didn't help him out of prison when he knew the truth?

It would seem that the old coot had something planned for both him and Sirius and they didn't know what it was. He decided right there and then to keep an eye on the old coot. If Dumbledore makes one wrong move against him then he would be out of Hogwarts before he could say Quidditch.

Harry tucked Sirius letter into his pocket and called for Bubua and Floppy. He still had two days to go before he needed to return to Britain for school. It was enough time to get the supplies his godfather needed to survive Azkaban.

* * *

**End of Chapter 13**

**Please leave a comment or a review. **


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Just using him to satisfy my very creative muse. **

**Chapter 14: The Unicorn's Gift**

Harry was two hours early when he tucked himself in the last compartment of the Hogwarts Express. He pensively looked out the window; his mind was processing the things he discovered from his godfather's letter.

A frown made his way to his face when he realized that Dumbledore did more to his life than he knew.

Sirius's warning in his letter made everything crystal clear and various questions in Harry's mind snapped into place as various answers were revealed to him.

To summarize his thoughts, Harry realized that Dumbledore may have orchestrated the whole thing – his parent's death, him being the so-called savior of the Wizarding World, his placement with the Dursleys, Sirius' imprisonment, and more. All this facts pointed to one thing.

Albus Dumbledore had a plan for him and his only clue was a few tidbits here and there but the whole picture still eluded him.

Harry grimaced when he realized that Dumbledore already had one against him after revealing one of his powers. He knew that there was no way out of explaining about his staff but if he had the time, he would have thought of other alibis that would put the old coot in the dark.

However, it was already too late and the only thing left for him to do was to go with the flow.

Harry couldn't help but assume that the placement of the Philosopher's Stone in Hogwarts may be a machination of the Headmaster. He knew that the old man wanted something due to the placement of the powerful artifact in Hogwarts. However, he knew that one fact still eluded him.

Who was the thief that wanted to steal the stone?

If he had the answer to that question then it's quite possible that it would reveal a part of the game that the old man wanted him to play.

Harry sighed since he was just wasting his time thinking about things that shouldn't concern him yet without everyone laying down their cards, so to speak.

He decided that he would play the wait-and-see game for now while bringing out a few plans from the backburner and adding new ones to the list.

First, it was finally time to get out of the Dursleys. If Dumbledore placed him there then he needed to find a new home to get out of the old coot's thumb. He decided to send an email to Griphook later about the status of Potter Manor. Old family homes, especially in the Wizarding World, were heavily warded so it was the best place for him to set up shop.

Second, he needed to get to know the _real_ Albus Dumbledore. He knew that the books wouldn't tell him anything but it would probably contain facts that would point him to the right direction.

Lastly, he needed to visit his Family Vault. He needed to get Sirius out of prison and there was a possibility that his father might have a something there that would help his godfather.

Harry sighed after finalizing his plan. He had to do all those while juggling with his school work. A life of a prodigy, no matter how much he denied that he was, wasn't easy.

* * *

Life at Hogwarts went back to normal after the Christmas hubbub died down. His schedule was filled to the brim with studying, reading, hanging out with his Slytherin buds and those in his study group, and raiding the Hogwarts Library for anything involving Albus Dumbledore.

He didn't find out anything concrete about Albus Dumbledore but he did find a line stating that the old coot was in a partnership of sorts with Nicholas Flamel, which was possibly the reason why the famed Alchemist entrusted the artifact to the Headmaster.

Harry, however, considered the safety of the stone since the protections weren't really that good, except for his ward, of course.

Whoever the thief was, making sure that the stone didn't fall to his or her hand was the top priority. He was playing around with the idea of stealing the stone himself and giving it back to the Flamels when the bell rang signaling the start of his next class.

* * *

Harry was staring incredulously at the half-giant and a large draconic egg in front of him. He knew that Hagrid was obsessive over magical animals, the larger the better, but to actually have a genuine dragon egg being kept in a cauldron in the fireplace inside a wooden hut was just too much.

Here he was now, sitting in one of Hagrid's oversize couches staring at the twitching egg in front of him with Hagrid waiting expectantly for it to hatch.

"Uh, Hagrid, you do know that keeping a dragon, much less a dragon egg, outside a preserve is illegal right?" Harry asked his friend who immediately went on the defensive.

"There's nothing wrong with owning a dragon, Harry. Besides, I won him fair and square." Hagrid said defensively.

Harry stared at his half-giant friend incredulously.

"You won a dragon egg? Who in their right mind would use a dragon egg as a bet?" Harry said with disbelief.

Hagrid gave Harry a sheepish grin.

"Well, I was down at the pub in Hogsmeade when I had a round of poker with the people there. There was this one guy who was fascinated in magical creatures and we shared a bunch of stories over a few card games. Well, we played a bit until he placed down a dragon egg that he found somewhere and used it as a bet. As you can see, I won!" Hagrid said proudly.

"Uh-huh. I got it." said Harry before he realized something which filled him with dread. "Uh, Hagrid, what creatures did you talk about this guy?"

"I talked about Fluffy of course." Hagrid said proudly. Harry had to stop himself from slapping his face in exasperation. Since he shouldn't know about the Cerberus, he decided to go for the indirect approach.

"Who or what is a Fluffy?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow, curiosity in his voice.

"Fluffy is a Cerberus and very rare. He is currently in the third floor corridor guarding the stone for Professor Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel." said Hagrid happily before he froze, realizing that he said too much. "I shouldn't have said that."

"Well, whatever." said Harry dismissively, deciding to put the giant at ease by not noticing the slip about the Philosopher's Stone. "Putting a real live Cerberus in the unused wing of a castle filled with students might be dangerous but if Professor Dumbledore said so then there's no problem there."

Hagrid gave the boy a grin, happy that the boy wasn't interested in the stone. He was so screwed if Harry decided to check it out.

"Aye, you're right, Harry. Professor Dumbledore knows everything." said Hagrid proudly, not noticing the frown marring the boy's face.

* * *

Harry was in a very irritable mood. He was standing just outside of the Forbidden Forest with Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, Ronald Weasley, and Hermione Granger, waiting for Hagrid to pick them up for a detention.

In all honesty, Harry was in because of collateral damage.

Harry was making his way to the Ravenclaw dorms after getting shooed out by Madam Pince from the library since it was already way past curfew. Thankfully, the kindly librarian gave him a pass so he wouldn't get in trouble if a Prefect or a Professor found him outside his dorm after curfew.

However, the pass didn't help on what happened next.

He was about to make his way to a corridor that led to the Ravenclaw dorms when he bumped into an odd sight.

Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle were arguing with Ronald Weasley and Granger with Filch grinning madly as he watched the two groups shout at each other. The Hogwarts caretaker looked as if someone just made his day.

Harry, clueless and curious, approached the arguing group but Filch spotted him. He showed the man the pass Madam Pince gave him but the man studiously ignored it before swiping it out of his hands and burned it with the lamp he was carrying before he could summon it back to safety.

So here he was now, serving detention because Filch couldn't just accept the fact that he was innocent. He made a mental note to prank the man before leaving Hogwarts.

"You just had to find a way to make trouble for Weasley and Granger, didn't you?" Harry asked Draco with an annoyed sigh.

"What? There's nothing wrong in telling someone in authority that Weasley and Granger were smuggling a dragon out of Hogwarts." Draco said defensively.

"There's nothing wrong with that but there is something seriously wrong in telling Filch of all people. Why can't you just tell your Head of House about it? Professor Snape would have taken care of everything without landing you and me in detention." Harry sarcastically informed the blonde who gave him a sheepish grin.

"I never thought of that." Draco admitted causing Harry to sigh.

"Obviously." Harry said with a sniff before patting the blonde boy on the shoulder when he saw the guilty look in Draco's face. "Never mind, Drake. I know you meant well."

"Sorry , Har." Draco whispered. Harry smiled at him.

"Don't worry about it. Let's just worry about getting out of the forest in one piece. Seriously, why in the world would they let five students do detention in the Forbidden Forest? I know the Headmaster wasn't right in the head but this takes the cake." Harry said in disgust.

As if his question was answered Hagrid appeared coming from the direction of his hut. Filch met him halfway and both talked for a bit before Hagrid face grew grim. He approached the group of students and explained the situation.

"As your detention approved by the Headmaster, we are going into the forest to investigate the killing of unicorns."

Harry, Draco, and Hermione stared the giant in disbelief while Crabbe, Goyle, and Weasley had questioning looks on their faces.

"Who would be evil enough to kill a unicorn?" Harry asked with disbelief. He knew all about unicorns and their status as one of the most pure Light-based magical creature in the world. To kill a unicorn was a blasphemy that should never be uttered nor done.

"Who would kill such a lovely creature?" Hermione asked with tears in her eyes.

"Whoever is killing them is pure evil. Unicorns are the epitome of Light magic beside a phoenix." Draco said with a grimace before turning into fear. "Whoever is killing them had no fear of the consequence."

"What consequence?" Hermione asked, forgetting the fact that the boy was one of the few who made her life in Hogwarts a living hell.

"As if you didn't know, Granger." Draco said with a sniff before he saw the questioning look on her face. "You really don't?"

"I wouldn't have asked if I did." said Hermione with a huff of irritation. She really hated it when someone pointed out that she didn't know everything, especially those with magical backgrounds.

However, it was Harry who answered, much to everyone surprise.

"Unicorns are the epitome of Light-based magic. Unlike the phoenix, a unicorn is the model for beauty, grace, innocence, power, and mostly, the goodness in the world. A phoenix may be considered as a Light-based creature but it is mostly governed by its morals. It can do an act of evil the phoenix thinks is morally good. However, unicorns are different. They are good through and through. They will never succumb to their instinct like the phoenix does. This is one of the reasons why you will never read in a book about unicorns killing anything. Killing a unicorn is a direct act of war towards anything Light. This means that those who kill a unicorn forsake whatever Light magic affinity they had in their bodies. Meaning, a person who kills a unicorn subjects himself wholly to the Dark" Harry explained seriously. "Hagrid, how did the unicorns die?"

"Drained of their blood." Hagrid answered angrily causing Harry to curse.

"Now what?" Granger asked immediately, a bit put out that Harry knew more than her.

"Whoever is attacking and killing the unicorns is draining their blood. Sure, we use unicorn blood as potion ingredients but those are willingly given and no consequence is suffered by those who use it. However, to take blood from an unwilling unicorn and use it will suffer dire consequences."

"Maybe it's a vampire?" Ron asked, pale as a sheet. Vampires were dark creatures who prey on human blood to survive.

Harry shook his head in negative before giving everyone a serious look, a look that they weren't used to seeing on their happy-go-lucky peer.

"No dark creature would ever resort to killing a unicorn if they can help it and no vampire is stupid enough to drink the blood of a unicorn. Anyone who do, may they be human or magical creature, will live a cursed life, doomed to suffer until they breathe out their last breath."

"What does a unicorn blood do anyway?" Hermione asked, paling at the information she just learned.

"Aside from healing potions, drinking raw unicorn blood can extend a person's life even when in the brink of death. However, drinking their blood, even if it is willingly given, will result in the curse following you your whole life."

It was then that Hagrid decided to interrupt the impromptu discussion, wanting to get the night over and done with.

"And our job is to go in there," said Hagrid with a jerk of his thumb over his shoulder towards the dark forest behind him. "Find out who or what is attacking the unicorns. Once we find out the killer, the professors or the Ministry will find a way to destroy it."

"Are you sure it's safe?" Ronald asked shakily. He didn't know it but he was huddled with Crabbe and Goyle, forgetting that they were in rival houses, too afraid to notice.

"The Forbidden Forest is never safe." Filch butted in with a cackle. "A fitting punishment for troublesome kids like you. On with the detention, Hagrid. The night is young after all."

Hagrid nodded grimly and led the kids towards the gloomy foliage, all of them with fear etched on their faces except for Harry who had a determined and grim glint in his eyes.

* * *

After teaching them how to throw up sparks using their wands, Hagrid broke them into three teams. Whoever was in trouble or spot the attacker would immediately send out red sparks to alert the others.

Hagrid would be teamed up with Hermione and Ronald while Draco would go with his two bodyguards.

Harry wanted to find out what was killing the unicorns without bothering to hide his strength so he sent a telepathic suggestion for Hagrid to decide the teams. It was easy considering the giant didn't have any mental shield protecting him from Harry's subtle suggestion so Harry was partnered with Fang as a bodyguard much to Draco and Hermione's protest. However, a brief telepathic nudge from Harry quieted the two.

Harry watched Hagrid and the rest make their way into the forest following different paths. When he was alone, Harry looked at the shadows for a few moments before calling out to his familiar.

"Zieg." Harry whispered causing Fang to look at him curiously.

It was a second later when a large Shadow Wolf jumped out of the shadow and stopped in front of young sorcerer. Fang saw the wolf and immediately whined as he sunk to the ground, shivering in fear. Harry chuckled at that. Considering that Zieg was twice the boarhound's size, he should be afraid.

"Fang, I want you to meet my familiar and friend, Zieg. Zieg, this is Fang, Hagrid's pet." Harry introduced the two with a bit of amusement leaking in his voice.

Zieg walked over to Fang and gave the dog a sniff before giving out a huff. Fang just curled up on himself knowing the power of the creature in front of him.

"Fang, do you want to come with us or do you want to stay here?" Harry asked the shivering boarhound beside him.

Fang whined before standing up and walked beside Harry. The boy could see the dog was afraid of his familiar but it had enough courage to go with him as protection. This made Harry give the dog a nod of respect. It was quite obvious that the dog was like his master, a Gryffindor through and through.

"Thanks, Fang." said Harry as he scratched the dog behind the ear. "Zieg, we are going to look around to find out who or what is killing the unicorns. I want you to keep your senses open for anything around us, stick to the shadows and stay ahead. I'll watch the back."

Zieg nodded before giving Harry a bump on the knee before running ahead, easily blending with the darkness around him as Harry and Fang followed his lead.

* * *

It was half an hour later that Harry stumbled on a scene that filled him with horror.

In front of him was a unicorn foal lying on its side on the ground as a wraith-like monster was lapping up the blood dribbling down the unicorn's neck.

Harry didn't waste any time, he immediately attacked. He flicked out his wand and channeled more power into it as he incanted a spell.

"_**Bombarda!"**_

The blasting hex hit the creature on the side causing a bit of explosion before throwing it back before righting itself as it hovered a few feet above ground. The creature shrugged off the spell and spotted him. It released a loud human-like wail and glided forward to attack. Harry wanted none of that.

With a grim look on his face, he slashed his forward and released the next spell, an elemental one.

"_**Fulmens!"**_

A powerful lightning bolt flew out from the tip of his wand towards the wraith who didn't have time to dodge the attack which hit it right on the chest. It released a pained wail that echoed throughout the forest. It's wails, however, turned to a loud screech when Harry channeled more magic into the spell, doubling its potency.

Unable to withstand the onslaught, the wraith turned and tried get away from its attacker. Harry helped it along by hitting its fleeing back with an overpowered blasting hex, throwing it forward until it could no longer be seen though its pained wails echoed as it slowly disappeared.

Harry sprinted over to the downed unicorn with Zieg guarding his back. He saw a large gash on the unicorn's neck, silvery blood flowing out of the wound.

"There, there. It's alright. The thing is gone. He won't harm you anymore." Harry soothed the unicorn as it let out a pained whinny.

Considering that he didn't know any healing spells, Harry decided to resort to sorcery. He returned his wand into his holster and placed both of his hands over the wound, careful not to touch the silvery blood since he didn't know how it would affect him.

"_**Heal."**_ whispered Harry as he directed his Will into the wound. He felt something stopping his Will from reaching the wound but he persevered. He channeled more of his Will until he encountered a barrier of sorts. For ten minutes, Harry fought with the barrier as he felt the life of the unicorn foal bleeding out.

He wouldn't let the pure creature die if he had anything to say about it.

"_**HEAL!"**_ screamed Harry as he thrust his entire focus and Will into the barrier for one final push before it finally broke. He could feel his energy reaching out to the colt and slowly healing the mortal wound.

Harry was tiring but he kept it on, determined to save the young creatures life. He didn't notice a herd of centaurs watching his desperate attempt.

It was a few more minutes later that the wound finally closed, leaving only a thin scar, marring its pristine white coat.

Harry cut off his Will before slumping down on the ground, tired from the effort of healing the unicorn. The act took a lot out of him.

He breathed in much needed oxygen for a few minutes until he felt something touch his cheek. He looked up to see the unicorn he saved standing on its legs and nuzzling him lovingly.

Harry smiled and stroke's the creature's neck.

"I-I'm glad that you're alright." Harry breathed out with a smile before nudging at the creature. "You need to go back to your family. Whatever that creature was that attacked you, it will be back. You need to be safe. Go now."

The unicorn let out a whinny of protest but Harry kept pushing at the foal until it grudgingly agreed. But before it could leave, the unicorn bit him on the wrist. The spot where the unicorn bit him glowed silver for a few moments before dying down. Instead of a teeth mark, there was now a runic tattoo wrapped around his wrist. Harry could only stare at it incredulously.

The unicorn nuzzled him for the last time before leaving the clearing towards where Harry surmised was where its family was.

"Zieg. Follow the unicorn. Make sure that it's safe." Harry ordered his familiar who simply nodded and took off after the creature.

He sat on the cold forest floor as he rested. He would need to get back to Hagrid and report what he found though he decided to leave some things out for his peace of mind. The giant definitely didn't need to know that he was a sorcerer since he knew it would reach Dumbledore's ear.

"That was a brave thing you did, young sorcerer."

Harry whipped his head around to see a centaur staring at him with a smile on his face.

"Um, hello." Harry said with some surprise since the sentient creature knew what he was.

"Be at ease, young sorcerer, your secret will not be revealed by me or my herd if you so wish it." said the centaur.

Harry nodded and pushed himself off the floor but his knees buckled and almost fell if not for the centaur catching him in his arms.

"Sorry about that." Harry said sheepishly while inwardly cursing his moment of weakness. "So you saw the whole thing, huh?"

"That we did, Harry Potter, the stars have foretold of the young unicorn's passing to the afterlife but you, using your growing powers, pierced the shroud of death enveloping the foal and kept the hands of death at bay before it could be claimed."

"Oh," said Harry before realizing what the centaur meant. The barrier! "I couldn't let the colt die before it could grow and experience life. No one should be taken before their time."

"And how did you know that it wasn't the colt's time?" said the centaur, amused. "However, the stars predicted its demise but you went against it. A powerful sorcerer you are, young one."

"Um, thanks, I think." said Harry, not sure if he was being complimented or chided for such a rash action.

The centaur chuckled and beckoned to the woods where three more centaurs walked out of the foliage. Harry stiffened a bit since he was surrounded.

"Don't fear, young one. You need not worry about your safety with us. You have saved one of the precious denizens of the forest and we are in your debt. My name is Magorian, the leader of the centaur herd of the Forbidden Forest. The others are Bane, Frienze, and Trist."

"Well met, Harry Potter. Mars is quite bright tonight and Jupiter is too." Frienze quoted as he looked up the clear sky.

Harry frowned as he remembered his lessons in Astronomy. Mars was always compared to war. He didn't believe in divination, well, human divination anyway, but centaurs were known to give accurate readings when it comes to the constellations. What was the reference to Jupiter though?

"Considering what attacked the unicorn then you're correct, Master Centaur." said Harry politely.

"You speak the truth, Harry Potter, for the omens told by the stars concern you directly and what is being hidden in the castle." Magorian said with a frown as he looked at the direction of the castle.

"Do you know who attacked the unicorn?"

"Yes, it is a name that we don't speak, young one. However, that creature's goal isn't the unicorn but what is hidden inside the castle."

Harry stared dumbly at the centaur before something clicked in his head.

"The Philosopher's Stone. That thing is after the stone." Harry said immediately.

"Correct, however, as the stars foretold, a warrior will block its path." said Magorian as he looked at Harry pointedly causing said boy to sigh. He was in the spotlight…again.

"Fine. But who would risk living a cursed life by drinking a unicorn's blood?"

"Do you not realize the identity of the creature, young one?" asked Magorian slyly. "A creature who fears death so much that he would go to extreme lengths just to avoid it."

"A creature that fears death…Voldemort!" Harry exclaimed before a cold feeling run up his spine. He already knew of the meaning of Voldemort's name, Flight from Death.

"Aye, lad, and I think you already know why he seeks the stone."

"He needs the stone for the Elixir of Life!"

"Indeed, lad. Now that you know the reason why it is in the castle, you need to return to its safety. The forest is no place for a young one, especially for an untrained sorcerer. Your powers might be great but they are still growing, child. Come, we will escort you to Hagrid. He will need to know what happened." said Magorian as he nudged Harry to move, his retinue following the two of them as they made their way into the forest.

* * *

Harry was sitting in front of the fire in the Ravenclaw common room as he studied the tattoo on his wrist, Frienze's explanation of it echoing in his mind.

"_The unicorn you saved gave you a great blessing, Harry Potter. As long as you stay true to your heart and not adhere to the dark side of magic, you will forever bear its protection. Any magical being will know you through that mark and will never harm or injure your person if they can help it. You have done well this night, Scion of Jupiter." Firenze informed him gravely before following his leader back into the darkness of the Forbidden Forest. _

He didn't know the reference of being called the 'Scion of Jupiter' but whatever it was, Firenze definitely knew what it meant. Asking the centaur would be useless since the half-man half-horse would just give him a cryptic smile and leaving it at that.

Harry sighed and pushed the thought out of his mind before a grim look appeared on his face when he realized that his family's killer was alive. Many thought Voldemort was dead and this event disabused that.

However, the reference of the unicorn's blood meant that the idiot would risk anything to maintain whatever form he was in now. The tosser wasn't fully alive and he needed the stone at least bring him back to a semblance of one.

Harry decided right there and then that the stone needed to be kept out of Voldemort's hand at all cost. He stood up from the sofa and disappeared from the room without a sound when a plan formed in his mind.

* * *

Harry woke up the next morning without the weight of worry on his shoulders. He went to the room where the Philosopher's Stone was hidden last night and was surprised that instead of the raised altar, a mirror stood in its place.

Thankfully, the proximity ward was no longer present so he approached it cautiously to study the new addition in the room.

He was further surprised when he saw himself and his parents behind him in the mirror, their hands on his shoulders. He knew instantly that it wasn't real because he didn't sense ANYONE in the room with him and didn't feel ANYONE touching him.

He was confused at first as to why he was seeing the image of his dead parents on the mirror but when he discovered the ability of the artifact, he couldn't help but grimace at the sight. He didn't hate his parents but he didn't like it when he was reminded that he was the last Potter.

After checking the mirror out, he discovered some writings on the wooden panel, it was pure gibberish. However, when read backwards, it explained the artifact's magical use.

It showed him his heart's desire, a family, but that was where the illusions ended.

His family was dead and there was nothing he could do about it. He realized the mirror's trap. The past was the past, there was no such thing as going back.

After finally getting a semblance of control over his raging emotions, he finally saw himself alone in the mirror. However, the only difference was his mirror image smirking at him while holding onto a blood red stone before casually placing it in his pocket. Harry immediately felt the weight of something in his own pocket and later discovered that he now had the Philosopher's Stone.

Before he teleported himself out of the chamber, he found himself looking at the mirror again. However, this time, he didn't see anything on it. He only saw himself with a smile on his face.

Smiling, Harry pushed himself off his bed and made his way to the bathroom to start the day. Considering the stone was tucked safely inside his warded trunk, he didn't have to worry about the Dark Tosser getting his hands on it. He wondered briefly if he should have left a booby trap of some sort though the idea was immediately stamped out since it wasn't his concern at the moment.

After all, Dumbledore was the one who hid the stone so if Voldemort does come for it then the old coot would just have to take care of the snake-faced idiot by himself.

* * *

The exams were quite easy for Harry since he already knew the lessons by heart thanks to his advance reading and research. He aced all of them easily much to the ire of Granger when the results came out.

The exams involved two parts – a written exam and practical, the latter of which involved casting the spells the professors called out. Harry aced both the written and practical exams thanks to his studies and research, as well as some practice sessions in his trunk.

After finishing the last exam in the curriculum which involved making the Forgetfulness Potion from Snape, Harry made his way to the lake and settled down in a quiet corner under a large Oak to relax. However, his quiet time was disturbed when Neville approached him in a dead run with a fearful look on his face.

"Harry! Thank Merlin I found you." Neville exclaimed, out of breath from the running.

"Whoah there, Nev. What seems to be the problem?" Harry said with a frown. This was the first time he saw Neville so excited though he could sense that something was wrong from the chubby boy's posture.

"I told you all about the Philosopher's Stone, right?" asked Neville causing Harry to nod in affirmative. "I just overheard Granger and Weasley planning to go to the third floor corridor tonight with Seamus. They had this idea that Snape was going to make a break for tonight to steal the stone."

"Snape?" Harry asked incredulously. "I think they are taking the house rivalry gig too far. Why in the world would they suspect Snape?"

Neville shrugged before sitting himself beside Harry.

"No idea." said Neville as he leaned on the tree.

"Well, don't worry about it then. It's not Snape." said Harry with a shrug. Neville raised a curious eyebrow.

"What made you say that?" asked Neville.

"Let's just say that I already checked out the place where the stone is kept. Trust me, Snape's not the thief. If nothing else, Professor Snape is protecting the stone since one of the traps there was of his own devising." Harry said with a grin. The chubby boy stared at him incredulously.

"You w-went…Harry! Don't tell me that you faced the three-headed dog on your own?" Neville exclaimed in disbelief.

"Well, I won't tell you." Harry said with a smug look on his face. Neville sighed before giving the Potter heir a pleading look.

"Can you please go with them tonight or follow them just in case? I know you don't like Weasley and Granger but they might get killed down there."

"Hm," Harry mused as he thought of the traps. "I doubt they'll get killed; a bit bruised maybe or possibly a few scratches here and there if they decided to confront Fluffy without taking into account its weakness. Other than that, they'll be fine."

"Who is the world is Fluffy?" the Longbottom heir half-asked half-shouted.

"Relax, Nev. Fluffy is the Cerberus and Hagrid's pet. If Granger did her research then they would know that it would take music to put the dog to sleep, though I doubt if they have enough musical talent to pull that off or advanced enough in their magic to conjure a self-playing musical instrument."

"Whatever, can you just please keep an eye on them? For my peace of mind?" pleaded Neville. Harry gave the boy a speculative look.

"If I didn't know any better, the Sorting Hat placed you in the wrong house. You sound like a Puff." Harry joked though it wasn't funny since Neville wasn't laughing.

"Please?" Neville said while looking at Harry with a pleading look – puppy dog eyes and all making Harry grimace at the sight since it looked weird on the boy's face.

"Fine fine. I'll go. Just get rid of that look, alright? It looks…creepy on you." Harry said with a shudder. He didn't notice Neville giving him a smug look.

* * *

Harry sighed as he waited outside the room where the trap door was under an illusion of invisibility using sorcery. He didn't resort to the Disillusionment Charm since it could be detected by anyone with a hint of sensitivity towards magic. He wondered if he had to wait long for the trio but that thought was dashed when he sensed someone coming.

He almost laughed out loud when Quirrel appeared. However, this Quirrel wasn't the Quirrel he knew from DADA class. No, this Quirrel was quite different if the aura of darkness surrounding the man was anything to go by. In fact, the darkness around the DADA professor was so thick that the tattoo gifted to him by the unicorn colt was tingling in response to the evil presence.

He decided to let the professor in since he wasn't worried about the stone. If he could bypass the other professor's protection, it wouldn't matter since the stone was already out of his reach. However, he was quite curious how Quirrel would react when faced with the Potter family ward. He grinned at the thought.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, the Gryffindor Trio finally made their appearance. Right on time too since Harry was getting bored. They didn't have to worry about Fluffy since Quirrel conjured a harp to put the Cerberus to sleep. In fact, it was still playing and Harry couldn't help but give the DADA professor some credit. He definitely knew his music if the song the harp was playing was anything to go by.

Harry observed the trio cautiously enter the room, stopped and looked at the sleeping dog in disbelief. He could practically feel the fear oozing out of the three Gryffindors but it would seem the Sorting Hat placed them in the right house since they still entered despite their instincts telling them to turn back and run away.

When they jumped into the trapdoor, Harry peeked in and had to stifle a laugh when Weasley screamed at Granger if she was a witch nor not. Really, if there weren't any fire around then make one.

Granger finally got enough control over her fear to draw her wand out and cast a weak Incendio at the Devil's Snare. It retreated away from the flames, dropping the trio unceremoniously on the floor below.

Harry lowered himself using his Will before the plant could close the entrance. He landed quietly behind the three as they made their way into Flitwick's challenge.

Harry had to stifle another bout of laughter when Weasley used one of the brooms to catch the silver key. He heard from Neville how Weasley bragged that he was a great flyer. Judging from the wobbly flight, he needed to redefine 'great flyer' if his skill told everyone what he was capable of.

However, Weasley did catch the right key and had to throw it down tp Granger since he was being chased by the other flying keys. He was decent enough in his broom to dodge the winged projectiles before making his way to the open door. He got in just in time because the keys were almost on him.

Since the door was locked by Granger, Harry merely _translocated_ himself into the next challenge - McGonagall's chess set.

Harry watched silently as Weasley took charge of the challenge and couldn't help but give the redhead some credit. Ronald Weasley might have his faults but he was one hell of a strategist though it could have been better if he didn't sacrifice himself just to let Seamus make his way to the king.

Harry stayed behind to check on the downed Weasley and couldn't help but shake his head in exasperation. The idiot was playing dead. Sure he had a small bump on the back of his head but it wasn't a grievous injury. Shaking his head, he left the cowardly lion to watch out for the two and had to quicken his steps when he heard Granger's scream.

He ran to the next room to see Granger as pale as a ghost as she stared at the dead troll with fearful eyes. Seamus definitely wet his pants if the dark patch on his groin was anything to go by. Harry observed the troll and couldn't help but grimace.

Unlike his clean kill, this one was killed in a messy fashion. Various lacerations decorated the troll's skin, its right hand blown off, as well as half of its head. It definitely died in a painful way and only Quirrel could have done it since no one else entered the trap door. It would seem that the stuttering professor was more than just a fool.

Thankfully, Granger and Seamus decided that it was just too much for them to handle so they went back the way they came, picked up Weasley, and exited the area. Harry followed them and froze the enchantments on the traps so they wouldn't have to worry about doing it all over again.

When they were safely out of the trap door, Harry grimly _translocated_ himself to the stone's chamber to face a funny sight in front of him.

His ward was working perfectly if Quirrel's face was an indication. He was definitely in a fit of rage.

Quirrel was trying to get past the shield at the entrance by firing spells after spells at it to no avail. He even saw a few Killing Curses but it was useless since the shield was semi-solid in construct held together by magic. Harry made himself comfortable while observing the DADA professor tire himself out.

When Quirrel was panting on the floor, tired from casting too many spells, Harry merely shook his head and teleported out of the chamber and into one of the abandoned classrooms in the Transfiguration Wing of the castle before making his way to the Ravenclaw dorm, merrily whistling a happy tune which scared quite a few portraits since he was still invisible.

He went down there to watch over Granger and her clique and since they were back in the safety of their dorm, his services were no longer needed so staying there was just a waste of time.

* * *

**end of chapter 14**

**Please leave a comment or a review.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. **

**Chapter 15: Petunia's Confession**

The end of the year feast was lackluster, except for the food and Harry had to hand it to the elves, they definitely knew how to cook. He ate so much that he practically waddled over to the Ravenclaw dorms since he couldn't move so fast in fear of throwing up.

For the first time in years, Ravenclaw won the House Cup and quite a lot of his fellow Ravens clapped him on the back and shoulder since they knew that he was a big help in getting them quite a lot of points during the year.

Much to his surprise, as well as the professors, Slytherin house cheered along with the Ravens in congratulation. From the looks of it, his study group session in the library was slowly breaking down the rivalries between houses which made Harry quite happy.

Harry relished the memory of seeing Dumbledore's face during the feast. The old coot had a worried and anxious air around him that was almost palpable. He _should_ be worried since he lost the Philosopher's Stone and the Flamels would be chewing him out because of it. The Headmaster didn't know that Harry had the stone safely in his trunk and he would be contacting the Flamels sometimes in the summer to return the artifact to them.

Harry also noticed that the Headmaster kept shooting him questioning looks as if something happened that didn't fit his assumptions. This made the young sorcerer feel that the old coot was definitely up to something and the placement of the stone at Hogwarts was just one of them.

In truth, Harry decided to delay the return of the stone for a week or two because he wanted to study its composition. It was a rare chance for him to study the most powerful artifact in the world that could not only create wealth, but provide the elixir to prolong one's lifespan.

Harry was quite honest with himself that he wasn't really worried about his lifespan since according to the book on Sorcery, Sorcerer's were reputed to have longer lifespan that you're average witch and wizard. Merlin, as recorded by Wizarding History, lived up to a ripe old age of 526 though Harry had this feeling that the famed wizard sorcerer was still alive…somewhere.

Harry entered his favorite compartment in the Hogwarts Express, excited to finally go home and implement some of the plans he listed down during the school year. He wasn't carrying his trunk because it was already shrunk and stored inside his bottomless backpack though he did bring out his laptop since he wanted to see if Griphook replied to his email last night.

He just finished turning it on when he heard a knock on the door to his compartment. Harry looked up to see Draco before beckoning for the boy to enter.

"What's up, Drake?" Harry asked with a smile. Draco definitely changed from the ponce he met in Diagon Alley. Thanks to their interactions in and out of class, he finally learned the really Draco Malfoy. It was a surprise to find out that the aristocratic pomposity was just a façade to hide the nervous boy underneath. In truth, it was similar to Neville though the chubby Longbottom practically wore his emotions on his sleeves.

"Can we talk in private, Har?" asked Draco nervously.

Harry raised an eyebrow and beckoned for him to take a seat. He flicked out his wand and cast a few spells around the compartment before putting it back into his holsters. Draco was staring at him with wide unbelieving eyes.

"What did you do?" Draco asked in shock. Not only did his friend cast spells that was above First Year, he did it silently as well. Harry Potter was definitely not your average First Year.

"Since you wanted to talk in private, I placed the standard anti-eavesdropping charms and a small notice-me-not ward on the compartment." Harry said with a shrug before giving the boy his entire attention. "What seems to be the problem, Drake? You look like you killed someone."

Draco didn't say anything but pulled out two pieces of folded parchments from his robe and handing it out to him.

"What's this?" Harry asked curiously as he unfolded one of the parchments to see that it was a letter. He stopped reading the first line and looked at the Malfoy heir with a questioning quirk of his eyebrow.

"Just read it." Draco urged as he nervously fidgeted in his seat.

Harry shook his head and read the letter. The first letter from was from Lucius Malfoy, Draco's father.

_Draco, _

_It has come to my attention that you are friends with Harry Potter. I commend you on such an action and I am proud that you made use of your Slytherin ways to befriend the Boy-Who-Lived. _

_Now, as your father, I command you to study Mr. Potter. Learn what you can about him and report it to me. _

_I stress the importance of this task and do not fail me. _

_Lucius_

Harry gave the letter an incredulous look before giving one to Draco.

"Read the second one." Draco urged, his fidgeting was quite extreme now.

Harry read the second letter.

_Dear Draco, _

_How are you, my son? I hope that you are quite well and I am happy that you made good friends in school. I was shocked when you sent me a letter asking for my advice concerning your father's…command to spy on Harry Potter. _

_I can't give you any solid advice, my son, but I suggest that you follow your heart. I heard through my friends that you made quite a good friend in young Harry and I commend you in doing so. After all, Mr. Potter is also family. He is the grandson of Dorea Black and I think you already know how high he is in the family circle because of that lineage. _

_Now, for my advice. Talk to your friend. Tell him what your father wanted you to do. If I know him well, basing on his father's personality, then he would be able to help you pass this ordeal without putting you both in harm's way._

_Until then Draco. _

_Your loving mother, _

_Narcissa_

"Whoah, I didn't know that my grandmother was a Black. Well, cousin. It would seem that you followed your mother's advice. However, I would like to know…why is your father so interested in me?" Harry asked as he folded the letter and returning it to his friend.

Draco sighed as he took the letter before looking at Harry right in the eyes.

"Are you familiar with the First Wizarding War?"

"You mean the war that Voldemort started?" Harry asked causing Draco to flinch at the name of the Dark Lord. "Really, Drake, that's just a name. He won't pop out of the blue if you say it out loud."

"Never mind that, Harry, tell me, do you know anything about the Death Eaters?"

"Aside from the fact that they are minions of the Dark Tosser himself, nothing." Harry said with a shrug. In truth, he knew all about the Death Eaters thanks to his research to help Sirius. However, he wouldn't blab that out and it was a great tactic to pretend that you didn't know anything to hear what the other side had to say and Draco definitely had something to say regarding that matter.

"Before I started Hogwarts, my father would always tell me about the good old days as part of my pureblood upbringing. My father, Lucius Malfoy, and my grandfather, Abraxas Malfoy, were stout supporters of the Dark Lord. The only way my father could get out of Azkaban when you destroyed the Dark Lord was to plead Imperius and let his money grease the works. It worked and he got away from being convicted scot-free. I think the reason my father wanted me to spy on you is to find out HOW you defeated the Dark Lord by learning what you're capable of."

"Is that so?" Harry drawled before giving the blonde a leer. "You're father is a curious sort, isn't he?"

"This is no time for jokes, Harry." Draco said irritably. Harry gave him a mock-sniff and a pout.

"Definitely not. However, let me ask you this, Drake, why are bringing this to me? You are your father's son so it is only normal for you to follow him. Why did you bring this up to me?" Harry asked curiously. This was the million Galleon question.

Draco looked out the window before giving out a pensive sigh.

"Harry, you might not know it that being a pureblood is not what it cut out to be. Sure, we are considered as the elite of the elites but the life of a pureblood is a dangerous life. At a young age, pureblood children are taught to be cunning, ruthless, and to do anything just to get what they wanted. This is how I was brought up. If you asked the other purebloods, especially the ones in Slytherin, they will tell you the same." Draco started with a bit of horror in his voice. "There is no such thing as friendship in pureblood circles, Harry. There is only connections and usefulness. My father is practically the leader of the purebloods and his rule is absolute. Why do you think that quite a lot of my fellow Slytherins look up to me? Me, a first year! Don't you find it weird?"

"To be honest, I don't." Harry said with a shrug causing Draco to look at him in disbelief prompting him to explain. "That is human psychology, Drake. It happens in the muggle world too. Those in power are at the top and those underneath him would always look up to the person with the power. That is just how it works."

Draco gave a grunt of agreement. His friend definitely knew what he was talking about.

"Fine. You do know how it works. Anyway, the reason why I told you about this is because you are the first friend that I consider as a _real_ friend." He admitted with a sigh.

"Why, Draco, I'm touched." Harry said, batting his eyelashes at the blonde, before his face turned serious. "What brought this on?"

"To be honest, I don't know how you did it but you made me realize that I wanted to get out of the pureblood sphere of influence. Sure, I will reap the benefits of the station, I am a Slytherin after all, but I don't want to end up growing up looking behind my back waiting for someone to stab me. When I met you and befriended you, you didn't look at me like a pureblood would. You looked at me as a person and you didn't judge me. The other Slytherins also thought of you the same way. You didn't judge, you didn't let others sway you from us, and most importantly, you helped us without even asking for anything in return. Heck, even Professor Snape gave us his blessing to learn from you."

"Thank you, Draco." Harry said with a genuine smile on his face though he was inwardly surprised at the Potion Professor's attitude. It would seem that he made quite an impression on the grouchy man. "So what do you want to do with your father's order?"

"I don't know?" Draco said with a depressed sigh.

"Well, so that you won't get in trouble, tell him what you know of me. Be honest with him." Harry said with a grin. Draco looked at the young Potter heir with disbelief.

"WHAT? Are you insane?" exclaimed the blonde. Harry shook his head before a wry grin crossed his face.

"Drake, you have to understand, what you know of me is just the tip of the iceberg. You don't really know me that well. You only know what you see in school and what I allow others to see of me. Besides, my school records are public knowledge and your father can easily access those records if he wanted to. So really, tell him. No harm will come in doing so."

"Are you serious? Is that really what you want?"

"Yes." Harry said with a relaxed smile on his face. "To put it simply, Drake, even if you told your father of this conversation, he still wouldn't know what I'm capable of and I have no intentions of letting that little tidbit get out into the open. So yes, tell your father. I don't mind though it's up to you if you want to play around the information a bit."

Draco paused as he pondered what his friend said before a sly grin appeared on his face.

"How sneaky of you, Mr. Potter. You're giving me the permission to tell what I know of you to my father but it is up to me to decide how I use this to my advantage." Draco said slyly. "Why in the world are you in Ravenclaw? With that mind of yours, you should be in Slytherin."

"I should but I'm not. That's all you need to know, Draky-poo." Harry said with a leer before he untangled the spells he cast on the compartment. Right on time too since some of his friends just came in for a conversation.

* * *

Albus Dumbledore was currently pacing in his office, confused as to what happened to the Philosopher's Stone.

The night the exam ended, he got a warning from his proximity ward that someone entered the room where the trapdoor leading to the Philospher's Stone.

Of course, he didn't go there immediately since he knew from his many spies in the castle (ghosts, portraits, and elves) that Neville Longbottom informed Harry Potter of the stone's existence and the plans of Hermione Granger to stop the thief from taking the artifact. Everything was going according to plan until he got another ping from his wards that three students entered and none of them bore the magical signature of the Boy-Who-Lived.

Worried, he gave it a few more minutes for his pawn to catch up but it was half-an-hour later that he sprinted off from his office towards the third floor corridor since Potter didn't appear as planned.

When he got there, he saw Granger, Finnigan, and Weasley exiting the trapdoor and the first two were pale with fright. He immediately ushered them to the Hospital Wing to get looked at before going down into the trap door.

What happened boggled his mind.

All the traps were inactive. The enchantments were still in place but it seemed that they weren't doing what they were supposed to do. The flying keys were floating in place and Minerva's animated chessboard were standing still like statues.

The weirdest thing that happened was when he saw Quirrel trying in vain to get past a glowing white barrier that separated the chamber where Severus's challenge was located and the chamber where the Mirror of Erised was placed.

Fortunately for him, the DADA professor didn't notice his arrival so he immediately stunned the man from behind and was shocked when he saw the wraith of Voldemort rise out from the man's head and drifted off towards the next room but was stopped by the shimmering barrier before wailing in anger and disappearing through the ceiling.

When the Hogwarts Wards informed him that Voldemort was no longer in the vicinity, he immediately checked on Quirrel only to find out that the man was dead. It would seem that the man's core gave out when the Dark Lord ended the possession.

Sighing in relief, he went to the next chamber expecting for the barrier to stop him but it didn't, though he did notice a strange magic in the room but he couldn't place it since it was too faint for him to get a proper reading. He went to check on the Mirror to retrieve the stone but was shocked when it was no longer there.

He knew that Voldemort didn't get the stone but it would seem that someone did.

He wasn't worried at first about losing such a powerful artifact since he had no intentions of giving it back to the Flamels. They were just too powerful for their own good. He was thinking of keeping it for himself and telling the married couple that it was destroyed by Voldemort during the fight.

Alas, much to his ire, someone got to the stone before Voldemort did and it was lost to him forever.

Another confusing thing was why Harry Potter didn't follow through with his promise with Longbottom to check on the three Gryffindors as they made their way to the stone. He expected for his pawn to rise to the challenge and stop Voldemort from stealing his prize.

But no, Harry Potter didn't rise up to his expectations which confused him. He was definitely different from James and Lily. This Harry Potter had Gryffindor courage but it would seem that it was hindered by his Ravenclaw mind.

Another part of his plan going down the proverbial drain.

Tired of his pacing, he slumped down to his chair and tried to think of another plan to gain control of the young Potter Heir.

Hopefully, the letter he sent to Vernon Dursley would curb the boy's independence a bit, or possibly let the man teach the boy a lesson to make him a bit more susceptible to his plans.

* * *

The rest of the trip to King's Cross was uneventful since all they did was discuss what they plan to do for the summer.

Of course, Harry didn't tell the whole truth as to what he would be doing, only telling his peers that he would just be studying in advance.

They immediately believed him since that was all Harry did during his time at Hogwarts – study. He was a Ravenclaw through and through.

Harry waved goodbye to his friends before making his way to the muggle side of King's Cross. He didn't expect for his uncle to pick him up since he didn't want anything to do with the man. He walked over to a dark alley across the station and teleported to his room.

He looked around a bit before deciding to make his way downstairs to inform his aunt that he was back. Since this was their home, it was only polite to tell them that their…nephew was back for the summer.

However, when he got downstairs, he saw something that made his anger boil.

Vernon Dursley was standing over the unconscious form of his aunt, her cheek had a bruise forming telling Harry that his uncle had something to do with it. Dudley was currently cowering behind the couch. His uncle was clutching a letter in his left hand and a shotgun in his right.

"What in the world is going on here?" Harry bellowed causing Vernon to look at him in surprise before a manic grin made its way to his face chubby face.

"Glad you're back, boy. It's fine time that I teach you a lesson you will never forget. No one ever messes with Vernon Dursley and get away with it." Vernon bellowed as he aimed the shotgun at Harry who merely raised an eyebrow. It would seem that his dear uncle finally snapped.

"And what makes you think that you can do anything to me, uncle?" said Harry coldly while sending a mental probe to his downed aunt. He inwardly sighed in relief since there was nothing wrong with her, except for being unconscious and a bruise on her cheek.

Vernon raised the letter in his left before giving Harry an evil grin.

"I just got a letter from your Headmaster! It says here that you're not allowed to do magic or else you're going to be expelled. This means, freak, that you won't be able to fight back." Vernon cackled. "You're mine, freak, and there's nothing you can do about it."

Harry saw Vernon's finger twitch over the trigger so he immediately created an invisible shield of solidified Will in front of him. Right on time too since his uncle finally snapped some more and fired his shotgun at him. Thankfully, the shield stopped the bullets in place causing his uncle to look it in shock turning into an evil grin.

"Now you've done it, freak. You're going to be expelled!" Vernon crowed in delight as he fired another shot resulting in the same thing. Harry wasn't in the mood to play with an insane Vernon so he decided to fight fire with fire.

"I think you got it wrong, dear uncle. I am not allowed to do magic until I reach of age but I have other things than my magic to use against you. Observe." Harry purred as he raised his hand and pointed a finger at the gun his uncle was holding before focusing his Will. "Burn!"

Vernon yelped in surprise as the shotgun he was holding became too hot to hold. He let it go to fall to the floor but it didn't reach its destination in one piece. The heat was so intense that it melted into a puddle of goo. Fortunately, Harry had the foresight to translocate the bullet or else it would have exploded due to the extreme heat.

Not done with his work, Harry glared at his uncle and channeled his Will again to throw his uncle back with enough force that he slammed into the wall causing it to crack. Harry waved his hand and focused his Will causing Vernon to hit the walls in the living room like a pinball. With one last application of sorcery, Harry slammed his uncle right onto the ceiling before slamming him back to the ground causing him to scream in pain before blacking out.

Harry summoned the letter on the floor and read it. He growled out in anger.

_Dear Mr. and Mrs. Dursley,_

_This letter is to inform you that Harry James Potter, being underage, is not allowed to perform any magic outside school until he reaches the age of 17. Please be advised that any focused magical __**outburst**__ from him would bring the inquiry of the Ministry. Punishment includes suspension and expulsion from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. _

_Please be guided accordingly and have fun. _

_Sincerely yours, _

_Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore_

_Headmaster_

_Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy_

With a burst of Will, Harry burned the letter in his hands. It would seem that the old coot finally showed his true colors. Harry knew the template of the letter that was given to them to give to their parents regarding the use of magic over the summer. In fact, he had the letter in his trunk to be given to his aunt for her to sign which would magically register as being received.

From this letter alone, Harry knew that the Headmaster wanted Harry to be 'taught a lesson' by his uncle. The Headmaster knew how he was being treated. He growled in anger before finally reining it in. He looked at his unconscious aunt and levitated her over to the sofa before addressing Dudley.

"Dudley, tell me what happened." Harry growled to his cousin. Not getting any answer from the quivering lump behind the couch, he translocated his cousin directly on the spare couch. "Now tell me, Dudley. What happened?"

"D-Dad snapped. W-we were watching the telly when a letter arrived for mom by o-owl. She read the letter and gave it to dad. It happened so fast. D-Dad screamed in happiness and started telling us that he would be teaching you a lesson when you get back and your m-magic wouldn't be able to help you. M-Mom tried to talk to D-Dad but he slapped her and punched her in the gut and punched her again on the face, knocking her out. He went to the basement and came back up with his shotgun. I was s-so scared so I h-hid." Dudley blurted out before going into a crying fit.

Harry sighed when Dudley finished his tale. It would seem that his uncle decided to give him a 'lesson' that he so rightly deserved. His mind was whirling with ideas on what to do but he knew that he couldn't do anything with his aunt unconscious.

He shifted his gaze to her and focused his Will to remove the bruises on her aunt's cheeks. He also did a full-body scan and breathed out a sigh of relief when nothing was damaged after Vernon punched her in the stomach. He pulled out his wand and sent a spell to his aunt, waking her up.

"W-what happened?" Petunia asked groggily until she saw her husband on the floor. "Vernon!"

"Aunt Petunia." Harry said, stopping her from going to her husband. "Will you explain to me why that tub-of-lard hurt you? Dudley told me what happened."

"I don't know what happened to him, Harry. When I gave him that letter, he snapped and started saying how he will be teaching you a lesson. I don't want to ruin your life anymore so I tried to talk some sense into him. He didn't like it so he slapped me, punched me in the stomach, and hit me in the face. I don't remember anything after that." she explained before she saw her son crying on the couch. She immediately went to him and hugged him tightly. "What happened to Dudley?"

"Scared, I guess." said Harry. "Do you want me to calm him down?"

Petunia saw Harry indicate his wand before giving him a nervous nod.

Harry flicked his wand towards Dudley before firing off a calming charm and a sleeping charm on his cousin. The effect was immediate. Dudley slumped down on the couch, fast asleep, his breathing calm and normal.

"I hit him with a spell to calm him down and followed it up by a charm to put him to sleep." Harry explained when his aunt looked worriedly at her son. He walked over to a spare couch and slumped down. "Floppy."

His beloved elf appeared and saw the unconscious Vernon on the floor.

"What happened here, sir?" asked Floppy worriedly.

"Nothing much, Floppy, just a few family…arguments. Nothing to worry about. Can you please get us something to drink, preferably something calming if you would."

"Yes, sir." said Floppy before snapping her fingers causing a tea set to appear on the table and snapped it again to fill it with his master's favorite brew of Earl Gray. "Anything else, sir?"

"That's all for now, Floppy, thanks."

"You're welcome, Harry Potter sir. Floppy will be in your room arranging your things." she said before popping out of the living room.

Harry took a cup and sipped the tea, sighing as the slightly bitter brew made its way down his throat, relaxing him. He saw his aunt looking nervously at the tea in front of her.

"That's the Earl Gray I brewed for the family once, Aunt Petunia. I always have one at the ready, magically heated, just in case I'm in the mood for a spot of tea. I suggest that you drink it. It will help you relax, trust me. When you're good and ready, we need to talk about what to do with your…husband."

Petunia nodded and nervously took her cup. She took a few sips before slumping back on the couch beside Dudley. Harry studied her for a few moments and decided that she was calm enough for a conversation.

"Is this the first time Uncle Vernon hit you, Aunt Petunia?" Harry asked his last living blood relative in concern. After the brief talk they had when his aunt gave him his Hogwarts Letter, he noticed a difference in how she looked at him. There was a lot of regret there and a sign of affection. It warmed Harry's heart a bit but it was not enough to erase the memories of abuse that he suffered under the woman. He was willing to forgive but he won't easily forget.

"No." Petunia answered before looking down at the cup on her lap. Harry growled.

"When did this start?"

"Two days after you left for school." Petunia whispered but Harry clearly heared.

"Any reason why he started hitting you? As far as I'm concerned, I'm the punching bag in this house and not you." Harry pointed out causing his aunt to flinch in guilt.

"Two days after you left, Vernon came home drunk and started cursing you because he lost a big business deal with a foreign client. I tried to help calm him down but he slapped me before leaving the house again. He came back the next morning and told me that he slept in a hotel after a few rounds at the bar. The same thing happened a week later when another one of his business deals didn't turn out right. His promotion was cancelled because of that. He came back home again drunk and started hitting me. Thankfully, Dudley wasn't around to see it so I kept it hidden."

Harry's already deteriorating mood worsened upon hearing that.

"Any idea why he started blaming me?"

"I don't know why he started blaming you. He just kept screaming that everything that happened was because of you. I don't believe that because you don't exact your rightful revenge on us even with you having m-magic. I know that you have Lily in you and she was never the one to exact revenge if she could help it." Petunia said with a sniff, a lone tear making its way down her cheek.

"That's the first time you ever talked of my mother. I thought you hated her?" Harry asked curiously. Despite the situation they were in, he was curious as to what started his aunt's hatred over his mother and magic, and by connection, him.

Petunia shook her head before her eyes took on a regretful look.

"I never hated my sister. If I was honest with myself, I was jealous that she could do magic. You might not believe it but Lily and I were close. We were more than sisters. We were best friends. We shared everything, loved the same thing, and even liked this one boy back when were in grade school." she said with a giggle causing Harry to look at her disbelievingly. "I was so jealous of Lily that she could do magic that I started distancing myself from her. When I saw our parents showering her with attention and praise, I guess my jealousy got the best of me that I stopped seeing her as a sister, but more of a curse to myself. So no, I don't hate your mother, Harry, I was jealous of her."

"Why did you bring your jealousy out on me?" Harry asked with a bit of anger in his voice, this time, directed at her aunt. Petunia's face took on a cold look that surprised him.

"Can you blame me, Harry? I don't hate you. I hate what you have IN you. You're magic. It was because of magic that took my sister, my best friend, my Lily away. It was because of magic that took her life. It was because of magic that ruined her future. Now you have the same magic running through your body. The same magic that I hated." Petunia exclaimed, tears now flowing freely down her face. "Magic destroyed my family and now magic destroyed what I have. Can you blame me, Harry? Can you blame what I did?"

Harry looked at her aunt for a few moments before giving out a tired sigh.

"No, I don't blame you, Aunt Petunia. I know how it would have felt for others to have something that you don't. You don't know how many times I wanted for you to acknowledge me as your nephew, to be part of the family until this want disappeared entirely. I know you're still family but my hope to become a part of it died. So no, I don't blame you. In fact, I understand you completely; so completely in fact that I'm hurt as well." Harry whispered the last part, tears now flowing out of his eyes, years of holding the hurt inside finally taking its toll.

Petunia saw the tears and immediately stood up from her seat. She resolutely walked over to her crying nephew, kneeled down in front of him and gave him a hug.

The dam broke and both cried; tears of regret, tears of hate, tears of anger, and finally tears of what might have been burst out of the two. Both hugged each other tightly, hanging on as if the other was a lifeline. They stayed that way for quite some time until both finally had no more tears to shed.

Both felt a great weight disappear from their shoulders and both noticed that something just happened. Something that would shape their future together. As family.

Harry finally let go of his aunt and gave her a tearful smile which was returned. Petunia returned to her seat and drank her tea. Harry did the same. Silence echoed around the living room which was broken by Dudley's snores.

Harry got annoyed at that so sent a wandless silencing charm on his cousin. The snores disappeared. Petunia looked at her son curiously before giving his nephew a raised eyebrow. Harry had to stifle a laugh since the way she did it was similar to his. She was indeed her aunt.

"Silencing charm. Dudder's snores were getting on my nerves." Harry explained with a small smile which Petunia returned.

"That was one of the few he got from Vernon." said Petunia as she lovingly carded her fingers through his son's thick locks. "What are we going to do now?"

"I don't know, aunty. Why don't you tell me?" Harry said with a shrug since his aunt was the one who had to make a decision. Vernon was HER husband after all.

"I can't leave, Vernon. I don't have a job so I can't support Dudley. For my son, I will do anything even endure him. I'm sad to say that he is no longer the Vernon Dudley that I loved. He changed." Petunia said sadly. "To be honest with you, Harry, it is because of my jealousy of magic that changed him. If only I didn't push my belief on him then he wouldn't be the man he is today."

"Let me ask you something, Aunt Petunia, when did Uncle Vernon change? When did his hatred of magic start? More importantly, how did he learn of magic anyway?" Harry fired his salvo of questions, wanting to get the facts straight before giving his aunt some of his ideas to fix this problem.

"To be quite honest with you, dear, I don't really know." said Petunia as her eyes got a vacant look in them as if immersed in her memories. Harry was startled at the term of endearment but didn't react. "I didn't tell Vernon of magic or my sister. In fact, he knew all about it when someone dropped you on our doorstep."

"Wait a minute, you didn't tell Uncle Vernon about magic?" asked Harry with a raised eyebrow. Petunia shook her head.

"No I didn't. That was one of the few things Lily told me about her world. There was a rule in place that the existence magic shouldn't be told to those without magic. In fact, I promised her myself that I wouldn't tell anyone and this would become a family secret." Petunia admitted. "I don't know how Vernon found out that you were magical since the letter didn't say anything about it."

"Do you still have the letter?" Harry asked intently.

"No I don't. Vernon took the letter and I haven't seen it since. As far as I'm concerned, he destroyed it."

"This is weird. If you didn't tell Uncle Vernon about my having magic then who did?" Harry mused, things were starting to get confusing.

"I honestly don't know, Harry. If I was to hazard a guess, it is quite possible that Vernon already knew the existence of magic before you came or someone who has magic told him." she said thoughtfully, trying to shed some light into the situation.

"Well, there is one way to find out." said Harry as he stood up. Petunia gave him a look.

"Are you going to use sorcery?" asked Petunia suddenly causing Harry to look at her in disbelief.

"How in bloody blazes do you know that?" Harry exclaimed in both surprise and disbelief. How in the world did his aunt know about his unique magic?

Petunia rolled her eyes which Harry found quite similar to his own.

"Please, Harry, even if I was jealous of Lily, we still communicated through letter though I can easily say that I wasn't really polite in my replies." she said with a nervous twitch. "Anyway, she informed me that you were a unique wizard, a Sorcerer since she learned that the unique magic you used was sorcery. Since you didn't bring out your wand, I assumed that you're going to use your other powers."

Harry gave her an incredulous look before a chuckle escaped his lips.

"I guess that being intelligent runs in the family."

Petunia gave his nephew a sniff.

"I may be a jealous woman, Harry Potter, but I am a SMART jealous woman. You're not the only person who graduated from middle school early. Sure, you graduated earlier than Lily and I but we did it all the same."

Harry shook his head before placing a finger on his uncle's forehead.

"One of these days, aunty dearest, you and I are going to have a long talk about family history."

"I'm looking forward to that, Harry." Petunia said with a happy smile which Harry noticed didn't look out of place on her face. It actually made her quite beautiful.

"Indeed. Now, let's see what's inside my uncle's head." Harry said grimly as he focused his Will and started viewing his Vernon Dursley's memories.

* * *

**End of chapter 15.**

**Please leave a comment or a review.**


	16. Chapter 16

**My God! I'm getting quite a lot of positive reviews from this story. I love you all.  
**

**This chapter is going to be a tad shorter than the rest but it would give a lot of insights to how the story played out so far. Enjoy!  
**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

**Chapter 16: The Real Albus Dumbledore**

Harry James Potter felt his consciousness enter the mind of Vernon Dursley. Unlike the use of Telepathy where his mind picks up stray thoughts, this form of entry requires absolute focus and mental strength since he would be delving deeper into the man's memories.

Unlike a witch or a wizard's mind, a muggle or non-magical was not organized unless they trained themselves in meditation. This was why Harry was having a hard time navigating through the various memories flying all over the man's mindscape.

However, Harry knew that if Vernon met with magical before his entry into their lives then it was quite possible that the memory he was looking for should have a magical imprint of sorts that would stop a Legilimencer from viewing it.

Harry, on the other hand, had no such problems because a sorcerer's mental control was absolute. The only thing that would stop him from doing so was if the subject had a stronger mind than his own, which was very unlikely. The monks of Tibet made sure of that.

Harry dove deeper into his uncle's mind, not minding the memories flying around him since he was specifically looking for something with a signature of sorts. He expanded his senses to detect even a miniscule sign of magic that would alert him to a hidden or shielded memory. He ignored everything around him but trusting his senses to pick out what he needed.

Since time was irrelevant in a person's mind due to how fast everything moves, Harry didn't know how long he stayed there but he finally found what he was looking for. His mental probe revealed three distinct magical imprints deeper in his uncle's mind.

With a grim smile, Harry followed his mental probe until he found himself in Vernon's subconscious. How the memory was placed there was a mystery since no muggle had the mental acuity to touch something that was beyond their reach unless trained to do so.

In truth, the subconscious mind would act like a buffer of sorts when a person was involved in a traumatic experience. This was why some people suffer from amnesia only to regain their memories later when their subconscious mind deems it safe to release the information.

Harry found himself being pushed back by an unknown force as he neared three distinct points of light in the horizon. He knew that those were the memories he was looking for but it would seem that someone placed a shield of sorts inside his uncle's mind to safeguard the information they contained.

An ordinary witch or wizard might have found the barrier impenetrable but not for Harry James Potter. He was a sorcerer and the mind was his forte.

Harry gathered his Will and threw it with bludgeoning force at the invisible barrier causing it to stretch from the strain. He couldn't see it but he could definitely feel its invisible hold stretch as the force of his mind rose to the challenge.

The young sorcerer continued his assault, channeling every bit of his Will into attack until the barrier finally broke like glass. Not even winded by such a fight, Harry approached the lights until he was in front of three globes of light the size of a basketball. He definitely felt the magical imprint on the globes and he knew that someone magical had a hand in sealing these memories deep inside his uncle's subconscious mind.

Harry touched the first globe and watched in anticipation the first memory of magic that Vernon had.

* * *

Harry watched a young Vernon Dursley standing in front of a run-down Volkswagen trying in vain to open the door of his car. He looked around the memory and assumed that this was during his uncle's college years judging from the large building beside the parking lot.

"Are you Vernon Dursley?"

Both Harry and memory-Vernon turned to see a younger Albus Dumbledore standing there with a smile on his face.

"Yeah, who're you and what do you want?" memory Vernon asked rudely.

"Ah, you don't need to know who I am Mr. Dursley. As to what I want, I need you to do something for me." said Dumbledore as he pulled out his wand from his sleeves. Harry definitely recognized the wand, the same wand the old coot used to bring order to the students at Hogwarts when Quirrel announced that there was a troll in the castle.

"I don't think so. I don't have to do anything. So, whoever you are, I suggest you leave before I beat the shit out of you." memory-Vernon threatened, making a fist as if to intimidate the man in front of him.

"I think you will find that impossible, Mr. Dursley." said Dumbledore as he pointed his wand at the man. _**"Imperio."**_

Memory-Vernon's eyes glazed over as the power of the spell wiped away every shred of resistance he had in his body.

"Vernon Dursley, you will court Petunia Evans. You will act kindly towards her and become the best person for her. When I leave, you will remember none of this conversation." Albus ordered before apparated out of the parking lot.

The memory ended and Harry found himself in front of the first globe. He shook his head in disbelief, unable to process the fact that Albus Dumbledore, the Leader of the Light, used an Unforgivable Curse on a muggle. It would seem that the old coot's manipulations started even before his parents got together.

Harry walked over to the next globe and touched it. The next set of memories entered his mind.

* * *

Harry found himself standing beside Vernon Dursley working in an office of sorts. A brief study revealed that this was Vernon's office at Grunnings and the calendar on the wall indicated that this was two days before the death of his parents.

Albus Dumbledore strode into the office without a care in the world and stopped in front of his uncle who finally noticed his presence.

"Who are you and how did you get into my office?" Vernon exclaimed in surprise. Harry was confused as to why his uncle didn't recognize Dumbledore but realized that it was because of the _Imperius Curse_. Any command while under that curse was absolute.

"Ah, those questions will be answered. But first, let me make myself comfortable." said Dumbledore as he pulled out his wand and conjured a high-back chair in front of a startled Vernon Dursley.

"H-how did you d-do that?" Vernon stuttered out in shock as he watched the old man in front of him sit in an ornate that appeared out of thing air.

"Magic, Mr. Dursleys." Albus said with an amused smile on his face. "Now, why I came here is to offer you a proposition."

Vernon's face turned into an unhealthy color of puce which made Harry chuckle a bit.

"You just can't barge in here, do your hocus pocus, and demand things from me. I suggest that you leave, sir, before I call security." Vernon threatened, his hand making his way to the phone beside him.

Dumbledore didn't say anything but simply banished the phone with a wave of his wand causing Vernon to yelp in surprise.

"If you want me to leave then I will. However, if you accept my proposition that I will make sure that you are properly compensated." the Headmaster said with a smile on his face. Harry didn't like that smile. It wasn't a smile of a kindly old man. It was a smile of a master manipulator.

"Compensated?" Vernon asked with a hint of greed in his voice. The Headmaster nodded in agreement.

"Yes. I don't expect you to do something for me without giving you something of equal value. That is just bad business." Albus pointed out causing Vernon to grunt in agreement. "Now, are you interested in what I have to say?"

"I'm listening." said Vernon curiously.

"Good, in two or three days, your nephew, Harry James Potter, will be placed with your family because of the…untimely death of his parents." Albus said with fake sadness which grated on Harry's nerves. "Of course, like his parents, Harry will also be capable of doing magic like I do."

Vernon's face contorted into a grimace.

"Why should I take in the little bugger? He is not my responsibility, neither is it Petunia's." Vernon growled. "And I don't want any of that…freakishness in my house. I won't have it."

Dumbledore must have liked what Vernon said because he was grinning now.

"Whether he is or he is not your responsibility, Mr. Dursley, you will take in Harry Potter. Of course, you will be compensated…let's say, a 1,000 British Pounds a month?" the aged wizard offered, appealing to the man's innate greed.

"Hm, 1,500 and we have a deal." Vernon said greedily. Dumbledore nodded in agreement.

"Done. However, I have a few tasks for you in regards to the treatment of the boy."

"What?" Vernon said as he narrowed his eyes.

"I want you to treat him like a slave. I have plans for the boy and I want him to be trained to be meek and pliable. That's your job. If you do it successfully then I will make sure to increase the compensation, let's see, 2,000?" Albus said with a smirk on his face. Vernon nodded eagerly before a thought occurred to him.

"If I do that then someone might find out. I don't want to ruin my life and career just because you want to turn the boy into your…toy." said Vernon with a hint of disgust. Harry shuddered since his uncle made it sound like Dumbledore was a pedophile. Maybe the old coot was because the smile currently on his place made his blood run cold.

"You have no need to worry about that, Mr. Dursley. Everything is already in place. No one will know of your treatment of Harry Potter and I will make sure that if someone does hear of it, then their memories will be wiped clean so it won't cause you any problems." Dumbledore assured the man.

"Deal!" Vernon said immediately with a grin on his face. "When will I get paid?"

Dumbledore chuckled at the man's greed.

"I will send you the money tomorrow by mail and expect young Harry to be left on your doorstep somewhere after midnight in two days. I will include a letter with the boy so you will know what happened and give Petunia a reason to take him in. I will visit again when Harry reaches 5 to check on his progress. Agreed?"

"Agreed."

"Perfect. Nice doing business with you, Mr. Dursley." said Albus as he stood up. He banished the couch before looking at Vernon in the eye. "But before I leave, I will make sure that this conversation remains a secret, if you don't mind."

Harry saw Dumbledore fire an unknown spell that hit Vernon right between the eyes before he felt himself kicked out of the memory.

* * *

Harry was now shaking with anger. He couldn't believe that the old coot would stoop so low as to make a business proposition with his uncle to treat him like a slave, a dredge of humanity. Oh someone was definitely going to pay. Harry controlled his bubbling rage and none so gently slapped his hand on the last orb, wanting to get this thing over and done with.

* * *

Harry found himself in a familiar sight. He was currently in Dudley's second bedroom and he was watching his uncle beat his memory self to every inch of his life. Harry observed the scene coldly; this reminded him why he hated his uncle with a relish.

He was brought out of his thoughts of revenge when he heard the crack of apparition. He turned to see Albus Dumbledore looking down at the unconscious 5-year old form of Harry James Potter with a smile on his face.

"It would seem that you are…diligent in your part of the bargain. I think you need a raise, Mr. Dursley." said Dumbledore with a malicious smile on his face.

Vernon was surprised by the voice and turned to see the Headmaster smiling at him. He didn't like his smile one bit.

"Why are you here?" Vernon demanded, a bit out of breath since he was teaching the freak a lesson for an hour.

"Well, I did stay that I'll be visiting you when Harry reached 5 so here I am." Dumbledore explained grandly before looking at the unconscious and bloody boy on Vernon's feet. "I see that you took your…treatment of young Harry to the next level. Tell me, what did he do to merit such an action?"

"The little freak did something that scared Petunia. She told me that he talked to a small snake out in the garden so she immediately called me up from the office while I was in the middle of a business meeting. Because of the runt, I had to cancel the meeting and I hope I won't lose this deal to my competitors." Vernon growled before kicking the 5-year old Harry on the ribs.

"I see. Well, I hope you do your best in the coming years and good luck on your business meeting. Due to your…zeal in educating young Harry, I will send a month's bonus in addition to our agreed pay. Enjoy." said Albus before flicking out his wand and fired the same spell at the man which ended the memory.

* * *

Harry growled in anger as he removed his finger from his uncle's forehead. He was so itching to blast the man right now but he held back. Now was not the time to let his emotions get the best of him. There was plenty of time for revenge in the future. Oh yes, plenty of time; Dumbledore first before his beloved uncle. His bout of anger caught his aunt's attention.

"Did you find something, Harry?" Petunia asked in concern.

Harry nodded grimly before approaching his aunt and laying a finger on her temple. He used his unique form of Telepathy to transfer the memories he viewed from Vernon's mind to his aunt. When it was done, Petunia fell to the floor and started crying.

Harry was too angry to comfort her so he merely sat himself on the couch with a frown on his face.

Vernon's memories answered so many questions and now Harry had the ultimate proof that everything that happened to him and his parents were all because of Albus Dumbledore. How he wanted to get revenge on the man right now but his logical screamed at him that he doesn't have enough to make the old coot pay.

No, blindly following his revenge without planning would only cause problems for him in the future.

The first step was to stay ahead of the Headmaster and this involved information. He needed to talk to Griphook as soon as possible to acquire all information concerning Albus Dumbledore so everything would be ready just in case it was time to bring him down.

On that thought, Harry also trashed the stray idea that entered his mind on changing schools. No, he wouldn't give Albus Dumbledore the satisfaction of the last Potter staying out of the fight. No, he will do everything in his power to make sure the Headmaster pays for everything he did to his family.

He could change schools later once he accomplished his brand of revenge on the aged wizard. Besides, he had friends at Hogwarts and he didn't want to just leave them because of the old coot.

"What should we do?"

Harry's planning was interrupted by the voice of his aunt. He looked at her and saw that she was no longer sad or hurt. No, this was not Petunia Dursley in front of her. This was Petunia Evans, the sister of Lily Evans, if the determined glint in her eyes was anything to go by.

"We are going to make sure that Dumbledore pays for what he did to our family, aunty dearest. But first, what do you want me to do with this man here?" asked Harry with a nod towards Vernon's downed form.

"What do you have in mind, Harry?" asked Petunia with a glint in her eyes which Harry noticed making him smirk.

"You have two options, aunty. One, I wipe out Vernon's memories and go with the flow. However, this wouldn't work since there is a possibility that Dumbledore will find out what we did and remind the man of his…deal with him. I'm not afraid for my safety but you and Dudley on the other hand are defenseless against him if he decided to aim his anger out on you."

"True," Petunia nodded, realizing immediately that she and her son was woefully equipped to deal with any magical backlash. "Second option?"

"Second option is to switch back to being an Evans. What do you think of that idea?" Harry said slyly. Petunia grinned before frowning.

"I think we need a solicitor for that." Petunia mused causing Harry to purr.

"Don't worry, aunty dearest. I know just the perfect…man for the job." said Harry with an evil grin on his face before taking out his mobile phone from his pocket.

* * *

After giving Griphook a call and giving the goblins his instructions, Harry helped his aunt pack for their relocation.

He decided to house his aunt in Prong's Hideout since it was one of the few homes he had that would be muggle enough for the two, being unused to magic and all.

Also, the place was protected by a family _Fidelius_ so they were off Dumbledore's radar and there was no way the old coot would be able to worm the information out of him.

In truth, Harry gave his aunt a selection of places that she could stay until her divorce with Vernon was finalized and she immediately chose the beachside house since she never had a decent vacation due to Vernon's work and his tightfistedness with money.

When Dudley woke up, Harry's aunt immediately told the boy everything that happened and gave the boy an option. Thankfully, Dudley was all for it since he didn't really like his father but only pretended to like the man and followed his whims because he was afraid of the man's wrath.

Dudley admitted that he was afraid of Vernon's anger being directed at him since he knew all about the beatings and abuse that Harry got from the man.

It was half an hour later, Vernon woke up amidst throes of pain in an empty house before slowly crawling towards the phone to call an ambulance. He didn't know why he was in pain only that he was since Harry conveniently removed the memory of him doing anything…unnatural to the man.

* * *

**End of chapter 16**

**Please leave a comment or a review.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Here's a long one for you guys. Enjoy! ^_^  
**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or other works that this story might be similar with. **

**Chapter 17: ART and Flamel**

Albus Dumbledore was fuming as he exited Gringotts.

He visited the wizarding bank this morning to get some money out of Harry's Trust Vault to pay Vernon. He planned to give the man a raise since he knew that Vernon would be extra…tender in dealing with Harry because of the underage restriction of magic usage.

However, that came all for naught when he was refused entry into the vault by the goblin teller. He spent ten minutes shouting at the low-rank goblin that he had the right to enter and take money from the vault because he was Harry Potter's magical guardian. The teller must have been irritated because the Potter account manager made his appearance and duly informed him that he was no longer Harry Potter's magical guardian because the young Potter heir finally claimed his birthright.

Harry James Potter was now LORD Harry James Potter.

This news made Dumbledore pale in fear because if Harry discovered his heritage as the last Potter Lord then it was quite possible that the boy knew of his…various transactions with his Trust Vault. He paled further when the goblin informed him that 'Lord Potter' voided the Betrothal Contract since he had no authority to put him into such an agreement.

He left the bank in a fit of rage and made a beeline towards the apparition point. The moment his feet touched the area where the hole in the wards allows magical transport, he immediately turned on the spot and left Diagon Alley to re-appear a second later just outside the Dursley Residence at Privet Drive.

What he saw scared him.

The house was surrounded by muggles and there was an ambulance parked outside. He approached just in time to see Vernon Dursley brought out of the house with a lot of bandages wrapped around him that he almost resembled a mummy.

Casting a notice-me-not charm on himself, he entered the house to find that the living room was trashed as if a hurricane appeared out of nowhere just to wreck the place. He immediately checked on Harry to find him nonexistent in the house. Petunia and his son, Dudley, was also absent.

He cast a spell to determine what magic was used in the house but the result was negative. Magic was nonexistent but something happened that almost killed Vernon. He paled when the thought of Death Eaters getting their hands on Harry and his aunt but shot the idea down because they wouldn't leave Vernon alive and they wouldn't take muggles with them.

If Harry was their goal then the house would have been in ruins and the muggles dead.

No, Harry wasn't taken but the question still stands, where was the boy?

* * *

Harry cackled as he ended the call with Griphook.

The goblin informed him that Albus Dumbledore was trying to get into his Trust Vault for a withdrawal but was rebuffed in lieu to his removal of being Harry's magical guardian. He tried to imagine the look on Dumbledore's face when the old coot was informed of his emancipation and elevation to Lord.

In truth, Harry didn't want to reveal his status as an emancipated minor so early in the game but it was necessary because Dumbledore would most likely check every piece of document in the Ministry concerning his whereabouts. Considering that all emancipation papers were filed in the Department of Magical Records, Dumbledore would immediately check there to prove if the emancipation was real or not.

It was definitely real alright since the Potter Ring was the one who judged him. There was nothing Dumbledore could do to revert that and there was no way he could manipulate the Wizengamot to overturn his emancipation. Magic deemed him an adult and adult he shall stay.

After depositing his aunt in Prong's Hideout and introduced her and his cousin to Bubua, Harry immediately left for Gringotts to finalize one of his plans for a home. He wouldn't be staying in Prong's Hideout for the summer since that wouldn't suit his plans though he would visit just to check on his aunt.

Potter Manor was out of the question since it was too remote even for his standards though he made a mental note to visit the place soon and check the bastion of the Potter Family.

No, he had plenty of experiments and studies to do and he needed his own workplace to get it done. Also, the resources available in Diagon Alley cemented his decision to set up shop in the magical alley instead of a remote area surrounded by wildlife even if it was tempting.

This was why he was now in a _Fidelius_-charmed building in Diagon Alley, besides Ollivanders.

The two-story building was once a curio shop owned by one of his many uncles and was left when he died of Dragon Pox. Griphook followed his orders and furnished the place according to his instructions that would serve as both his home and his workshop.

The second floor would serve as his residential area complete with magical and muggle amenities that he had in his room back at Privet Drive and then some. It had three bedrooms, an expanded library, an expanded room for his gym equipments, fully-equipped kitchen, and of course, an indoor bath/pool adjoining the Master's Bedroom courtesy of Floppy. Access to the second floor was through a set of stairs at the side alley.

The first floor was remodeled into his workshop. The see-through glass at the front was removed, as well as the door. It was now bare and only had two entrances – the magically-hidden back door, as well as a hidden staircase in the second floor behind a book case in the library.

Also, the first floor workshop was properly warded from magical detection and the walls were reinforced to ensure that it would survive an explosion considering the experiments he planned to do for the summer.

Also, the location was perfect since he didn't want to stay at home all the time and Diagon Alley was a perfect place to hang out when he wanted to relax. That and Florean Fontescue's Ice Cream Parlor was just across the street. He might be mature for his age but ice cream was a craving he liked to have at all times.

* * *

It had been three weeks since the situation at Privet Drive and Harry was happy.

Thanks to a squib solicitor that Griphook recommended for his aunt's divorce, the papers were filed and pushed through the muggle system.

Petunia Dursley was now Petunia Evans and Dudley followed his mother's advice to take up her name. Both were now living in a nice flat in Honolulu that Harry bought for them since his aunt liked the area so much that she didn't want to leave.

Thanks to her love for cooking, she opened a small café just outside one of the famous beaches in Honolulu that became quite a hit with the tourists. Her menu was full of British treats and beverages that a lot of foreign visitors liked.

Dudley worked as a waiter on the side while taking his classes in a cram school of sorts to pull his education up from the ground. Smelting was more like a school to teach kids how to bully than actual education so he definitely needed to start from scratch. Harry was surprised that Dudley was smarter than he looked, possibly no longer feeling constrained since Vernon didn't want his son to be a nerd. Now that Vernon was gone, Dudley no longer had to conform to his father's views.

Harry, on the other hand, stayed in Britain to start on his first study plan for the summer – the Philosopher's Stone.

Harry had no intentions of using the stone but he was quite curious as to how it worked. He didn't know how to actually use the artifact's innate abilities but he was able to accidentally ten bars of pure lead into solid gold when the stone fell from his hand and landed on the pile. He didn't know how to turn it back so he just forwarded the lot to Griphook who eye's bulged at the sight of so much wealth to be added to his client's portfolio.

To avoid any further accidents, Harry resorted to using sorcery to study the stone without actually touching it.

Thanks to his budding Mage Sense, he was able to divine how the stone worked, and possibly mimic its effects if he had the right ingredients though he couldn't do so right now since he was still new to sorcery. He couldn't achieve the actual Elixir of Life or turn lead to gold but it was quite possible he could accomplish it to a small degree using sorcery as a medium with enough study and experimentation. He did take plenty of notes though for future reference.

Harry found out that the Philosopher's Stone was actually a compressed form of raw energy with a purpose. From what he could divine using his Mage Sense, the stone had two functions:

One, the stone, using a method unknown to him, would turn a liquid solution into the Elixir of Life that had the capability to regress the drinker's age according to how much they drank and to halt the aging process for a period of time.

Second, the stone was capable of inducing an evolution of sorts. It could transform any substance into their ultimate form. For example, coal to diamond or lead to gold. The process would have taken millions of years naturally but with the stone, it could be done in a second.

It was the end of his first month of summer vacation that he exhausted all the possibilities of studying the Philosopher's Stone without enough grounding knowledge in Alchemy and the process of using the artifact. He wasn't able to find out HOW the stone was created but at least he knew WHAT the stone could do. He couldn't replicate it immediately but it was a study worth delving into in the future. He already had all the notes in his laptop so he could refer to that if he wanted to bring the project up in the future.

After finalizing all the notes and transcribing it into his laptop, he wrote a letter and sent it to the Flamels using Hedwig. He just hoped that his beloved friend could find them since he didn't want to be the instrument of their deaths for withholding the artifact that was rightfully theirs.

* * *

Nicholas Flamel, the famous creator of the Philosopher's Stone, was in his study finalizing the things that needed to be done before he and his wife leave the world. Thanks to Albus' stupidity, the stone was now forever lost and they only had enough Elixir of Life to sustain them for six months at the most, eight if they used it sparingly.

It would take a year to create another stone and they lacked to complete one before their current batch of Elixir ran out. He had the assumption that this was what the Headmaster had in mind when he tricked them into safeguarding the stone outside their _Fidelius_-protected vault underneath his manor house in France.

He was about to get started with his Will when he heard a tapping on his window. He looked up to see a snowy white owl on the window sill with a letter tied to its leg. Curious, he opened the window with a wave of his hand. The owl immediately flew in and landed on the table before raising the leg which held the letter.

He took the offered envelope and summoned a bowl of treats for the owl who hooted at him in thanks. He opened the letter and started to read

_Dear Mr. Flamel,_

_My name is Harry James Potter and I am writing this letter to you because I have something that belongs to you. _

_You see, during my First Year at Hogwarts, circumstances allowed me to learn that the Philosopher's Stone was being safeguarded in school because of a potential theft. _

_In the spirit of curiosity, I found out where the stone was kept and decided to check on its defenses. When I discovered that the protection of the stone was so weak that I could bypass it with ease, I took the liberty of taking the stone and safeguarding it until the thief was caught._

_I didn't inform the Headmaster of this because if he was stupid enough to leave a clue as to the stone's whereabouts during the Sorting Feast and implement crap defenses for its protection, then I wouldn't want to know what he would do if he found out that I took it for its safety. _

_Anyway, to make this letter short, I have the stone and I'm hoping to meet up with you to deliver it back to its rightful owner. Also, I admit, that meeting such a famous person was also the reason why I took the stone in the first place. _

_Just reply to this letter and have Hedwig deliver it to me for the location and time you want to get your stone back. _

_Sincerely yours, _

_Harry James Potter_

Nicholas stared at the letter incredulously for a few seconds before he let out a hearty chuckle which eventually became a full-blown laugh. The Boy-Who-Lived definitely lived up to his reputation, and judging from how the letter was written, it would seem that Albus' Golden Boy wasn't really as golden as he was led to believe.

He stood up from his desk, gave Hedwig a bit of a scratch then exited his study while bellowing happily for his wife.

* * *

It was three days later after Harry sent a letter to the Flamels that he finally got a reply. He was currently in the middle of finishing up the code for his AI program when Hedwig came swooping in through the window and dropped the letter beside his keyboard before settling down on his shoulder to see what he was doing.

"Hi there, Hed." greeted Harry as he gave his friend a scratch. "No problem with the delivery?"

"_None, hatchling. The old man was kind and gave me treats."_ Hedwig said as she nipped him lovingly on the ear.

Ever since he shifted his form to an owl in front of Hedwig, he was able to recognize the various hoots and barks as a form of owl communication and the more he stayed in that form, the better he was in this form of speech. Harry mused that he would be able to understand other animal speech if he transformed into their forms repeatedly. For now, he was partial to owl since he loved to fly during the night if he had nothing better to do. Hedwig definitely liked the company.

"Great, let's see what Nicholas Flamel wrote for me." said Harry eagerly as he opened the letter and started to read.

_Dear Mr. Potter, _

_I'm quite surprised to get a letter from you and was further surprised that you have my stone. _

_Albus informed me that the stone was destroyed during the confrontation with the thief but considering how you have it in your possession; I am of a mind to say that my 'old friend' made up the whole crock of lies to avoid getting himself implicated of something…nefarious, so to speak. _

_To get to the point, you have my undying gratitude for securing my beloved artifact. I would love to meet up with you and would answer any questions I deem safe to be answered. _

_This letter is a portkey. It will activate on August 15 at exactly 9AM which will take you to my safe house in France. If you think this form of transportation is not to your liking then feel free to send me a reply with your suggestion. The portkey is keyed to your signature since I used the ones on your beautiful friend to mimic yours. _

_I am looking forward to meeting you, Mr. Potter, and my wife as well. _

_Sincerely yours, _

_Nicholas Flamel_

"That went well." Harry mused as he folded the letter and sent it to his trunk with a thought. He didn't bother to make a reply since the portkey was acceptable to him. He wasn't afraid of foul play since Hedwig would have told him due to her having a sixth sense of sorts if he was in danger. If Hedwig was comfortable enough to accept a treat from Nicholas Flamel then he was alright in his book. "I guess I have plenty of time to finish my program then. All I need is to find a method to insert the programming into a magical portrait then I'm good to go."

With that, Harry started typing on his keyboard, intent to finish this project and reap the benefits of what he could do with it. Hedwig just watched the screen with unblinking eyes.

* * *

Harry spent his birthday as James Evanson, enjoying the sights of both magical and muggle Britain. He spent half-a-day in Diagon Alley and the rest of the time in an amusement park in muggle London for a day of fun.

He also got gifts from his friends though it didn't come to him by owl due to the _Fidelius Charm_ on his new home. All mails was forward to Griphook who used a portkey to send it to his home, after checking it for harmful spells, of course.

The day after his birthday was spent with William and Bridgette since the two were attending a specialized college course on Business Management in one of the famous colleges in London. He had fun with the two, exchanging stories and having a quiet meal at a very expensive restaurant. Harry didn't get off the hook since his two best friends dragged him to their favorite mall and bought different clothes and accessories for him to wear. Harry just accepted the fact that he wouldn't be able to say no to two fashionistas so he just gritted his teeth as they visited shops after shops.

It was a week before his appointment with Nicholas Flamel that Harry finally finished his AI program. He bought a high-end server with the highest computing power in the market for its first test run. He couldn't hook it up to a magical portrait as of yet but he needed to make sure that this phase of the project worked before moving on to the next.

Harry double-checked the server, as well as the hardware attached to it to make sure that it was in perfect working order before doing the same on the codes for his AI.

After 10 minutes of checking and deciding that everything was the best he could work with, he loaded the program and watched the screen display the loading diagnostics. When it reached 100%, a 3D rendered face of a middle-aged man popped into the screen making Harry grin in triumph.

"Hello!" Harry greeted his AI program through the earpiece his was wearing.

"_Hello, sir!"_ came the robotic voice of his AI. Harry frowned at the generic voice template. That wouldn't do at all.

"Hm, that doesn't sound good. Let me load the voice module." said Harry as punched a few buttons on the keyboard. "That should do. Hello."

"_Hello, sir."_ the voice of the AI was more human this time, well, it should be considering that he used Sean Connery's voice as a template for it.

"Before we go into more complex dialogues, let me give you a name first. Hm, let me see…what about Frank?" Harry asked his new AI.

"_If you give me that name then I'm going to delete myself."_ said the AI with heavy sarcasm. Harry looked at it with disbelief.

"Did…did you just become sarcastic?" Harry asked with a dumbfounded look on his face.

"_You included multiple personality modules into my programming. What you did is what you get, sir."_ the AI informed him, politely this time.

"Well, I didn't know that the personality module I included in the programming would work. Oh well, so Frank is a no go?" Harry asked though he already knew the answer.

"_Definitely not, sir."_

"Fine. Why don't you give yourself a name? I'm bad at naming things." Harry admitted, trying to warp his mind around creating an AI with a personality.

"_If you want me to come up with a name for myself then I suggest that you call me ART."_ said the now-named AI.

"How in the world did you come up with that name?" Harry started at the screen incredulously.

"_I loaded all the notes you have in your laptop to my databank since it is connected to the main server. I find that my programming is similar to the concept of Arithmancy so I derived my name from there."_

Harry was surprised at the information. It would seem that the AI had more to its capabilities than he thought. He knew the programming he placed into its creation wouldn't result to such an advanced AI though he had a theory that his magic had something to do with it. He would need to look into that later.

"I see, so ART it is then. So ART, since you interfaced with all the computers here, tell me what you can do?" Harry asked after seating himself comfortable in front of the computer.

"_You created me, you tell me." _

"You're just being cheeky."

"_I know."_ said ART with a grin before 3D face turned serious. _"In terms of my capabilities, you created the programming to allow me to interface with any known technology attached to the server. In this case, the codes you introduced to my system allows me to interface with all technological surfaces in this very room. If you give me permission, I can use my access to the Internet to interface with any information I can reach though you might want to integrate some redundancy checks into my system since I am open to access from the outside."_

"Oh, I knew I forgot something, I didn't give you any firewall for protection." Harry admitted as he recalled his notes on the creation of a protection program for his computers. "Hm, considering that you have access to the Internet, can you create a firewall for yourself? If I remember correctly, I included a few codes that I came up with that would allow you to adapt to any situation."

"_I do and you did, but estimated time of completion for such addition to my coding will be two days. Should I start with the search and integration, sir?" _said ART causing a window to appear on the screen, a blank module file where new codes were written to be integrated into the AI.

"Since we have nothing better to do then hop to it." Harry suggested with excitement since he liked what his AI was capable of. A thought occurred to him. "While you're at it, access all my notes on magic and integrate it into your data banks. I created you to assist me in my magical studies and your integrated knowledge would be of great use if I need someone to bounce ideas with."

"_Will do, sir. Starting firewall search and integration, estimated time of completion is two days. Do I have your permission to access all your files in both your laptop and server?"_

"You do, ART. My next project is to come up with a scanning system so I don't have to manually scan every book I have on magic. I'm thinking of integrating a diagnostic charm and a scanning charm on a device that you can access, it is quite possible that you can use that to interact with non-technological items in the area." Harry said, deep in thought.

"_Yes, I scanned a file that contained some Arithmancy equations you came up with to that effect, though I can't say much on the subject due to the lack of information in my databanks. I suggest that you incorporate another server with similar processing speed and disk space for me to use. If you want me to be your sounding board in your many projects, then I suggest that you give me the necessary resources to work with."_ ART suggested. Harry nodded absently. He already thought of that since more processing power and storage space would increase the productivity of his AI.

"Yeah, yeah." Harry said dismissively. "I think you already know I already have that planned. You do have access to my schedule after all considering that it's in my laptop."

"_Not yet since I haven't touched the programs installed in your laptop. Let me do it now. Initiating scanning and integration…done. Yes, sir. You did schedule to purchase two new servers after your visit with the Flamels."_

"Great." Harry said happily before standing up. He definitely liked what his AI was turning into. "Keep me posted. I'm going to take a nap. Access the speaker system and wake me up in 5 hours or if something happens that require my attention."

"_Will do, sir. Good night."_ ART said before his faced disappeared and replaced by a bunch of windows that showed the process of integrating his notes on magic into the AI's databank.

"You do know that it's only noon right?" Harry couldn't help but point out.

"_I know. I was just being figurative, sir." _ART replied almost immediately as if expecting Harry to have that response.

"You're sarcastic, you know that right." Harry deadpanned.

"_You only have yourself to blame, sir. You're my creator after all."_ ART pointed out though Harry could feel that the AI had a smug tone through the speaker system.

"Cheeky bugger." Harry said and shook his head before exiting his workshop to his room for a well-deserved rest.

* * *

The problem with the scanning system for ART was easily rectified thanks to Ian Drake when Harry sent him an email regarding this problem.

As it turned out, the US Technomancers had their own unique AI system but they used magic to give their machines a form of sentience. Ian had to praise Harry for coming up with his own AI without using any magic since that was harder, though he did point out to the young sorcerer that he was in the right track in studying magical portraits since that was how they started the process.

Harry was thankful when Ian sent him the schematics on how to enchant his server to be more magically receptive though it would take a while to finish since he had to engrave a lot of runes into the hardware for it to work. He would have to have ART transfer a temporary copy to his laptop just to remain online while he worked on the server.

Thankfully, the runes would give ART a faster processing speed, a more sentient approach to computing, and of course, integrating a few added functions, like scanning, using minor spells (diagnostic spells being one of them), and so on.

Ian also gave Harry some schematics on how to enchant any camera system attached to ART so his AI could pick out what's happening around him. The enchantment would give ART magical eyes and ears that would not be impossible using current muggle technology.

Of course, Harry made sure that Ian was properly compensated with his contribution to his project. He sent a few of his notes to Ian for the Technomancers to enjoy. They weren't completed but they would help in giving his friends some ideas on how to better their techniques in enchanting muggle technology to work in conjunction with magic. The Technomancers might have their own techniques but Harry's theories would provide insights to better them.

Ian considered it an even trade and happily thanked Harry for the information and ended the communication with a promise that he would give him more updates on the experiments if they were able to complete it. Harry accepted that with gratitude.

It took a two weeks for Harry to finish the engraving of runes into the two new servers that would be ART's…consciousness, so to speak. The task was definitely hard but Harry couldn't felt that it was worth it.

When ART booted up after activating the runes, Harry couldn't help but shout in joy since the AI informed him that he just started scanning all the books Harry laid out on the table using the integrated scanning spell in the server.

ART had another surprise for Harry when the AI created a hologram of sorts powered by ambient magic that showed the young sorcerer what the system's task was. Harry couldn't help but dance a small jig around the workshop after that revelation and ART contributed to the celebration by playing a few American songs much to Harry's amusement.

* * *

"_Sir, I insist that you prepare for your 9AM appointment."_ ART urged through the speaker system causing Harry to groan as he pushed himself off the bed.

"What time is it, ART?" Harry asked groggily. It was almost morning that he went to bed since he was finalizing a few Arithmancy and Rune calculations to give ART a form of Telekinesis of sorts. It was slow going since it would take a lot of ambient energy to power the spell. He finished the calculations and put ART to the task to do a bit of research if there was a way to store magical energy for his use.

"_It's 7:30AM, sir. Floppy already prepared your meals and the clothes you will be wearing for the day."_ ART informed him.

As if on cue, Floppy popped into the room and started snapping her fingers. Harry yelped when he felt his sleeping clothes disappear, levitated off the bed, and dropped into the mini pool in the bathroom. He came out sputtering water.

"What was that for?" Harry yelled after getting the water out of his mouth and nose.

"ART be telling you to wake up five times now, Master Harry. I just took the direct approach since I be tired hearing him shouting throughout the house." Floppy said with a glare before snapping her fingers again causing the shower head to start bombarding Harry with warm water, making him sigh.

"Fine. A little warning next time." said Harry grouchily as he reached for the shampoo.

"You were warned five times, Master Harry sir. You just didn't listen." Floppy said smugly before popping out of the bathroom leaving a cursing Harry behind to get started on his 'forced' bath.

* * *

Harry fell to the floor in a heap when the portkey letter deposited him inside the foyer of the Flamel home.

"Stupid portkey. I'm not taking another one ever again." cursed Harry before extracting himself from the floor and straightened his robes.

"Don't fight the pull next time and relax. If you don't fight it then you're landing would be smoother."

Harry turned to where the voice originated. He was face to face with a beautiful woman with red hair. She was around 5'8, quite tall for a woman, and wearing a green dress that hugged her perfect figure.

"Uh…hello?" Harry said, not sure how to greet the beautiful woman in front of her. Said woman gave out a soft laugh that warmed Harry's heart.

"You're just so cute." said the woman as she approached Harry. "My name is Perenelle Flamel though I would like it if you call me Penny. None of that Mrs. Flamel crap, makes me look old."

Harry held the comment that was about to leave his lips. Considering that they were using the Philosopher's Stone, she should be quite old, 600 years old, old.

"Nice to meet you, Mrs…" Harry gulped when Perenelle leveled him a glare. "Er, Nice to meet you, Penny."

"Good." Penny said with a grin. "Let's go, young Harry. Nicholas is in his study so we are going to have our conversation there. Did you have breakfast already?"

"Yes, ma'am." Harry said with a nod. Of course he had breakfast. Floppy would be in fits if he didn't eat the food she prepared.

"Then you're going to be joining us for lunch. Anyway, come this way." Penny said as she led Harry out of the foyer and through a corridor. They walked up to the second floor and turned around the corner until they came to a library of sort. It was definitely huge and Harry couldn't help but gawk at the sight of so many books. It was definitely bigger than Hogwarts Library.

He was in heaven.

Harry saw a man behind an ornate desk pouring over a document in his hand. The man must have noticed their approach because he looked up and grinned when he saw them.

"Ah, Mr. Harry Potter. Welcome to Flamel Manor. My name is Nicholas Flamel but please call me Nick. I'm not into formality. And I think you were already introduced to my wife, Penny." said Nick in greeting, making his way around the table and stood in front of Harry before offering a hand.

"Thank you for inviting me, er, Nick." said Harry as he took the offered hand and gave it a shake. "You have a lovely home. Please, call me Harry. I'm not into formality as well."

"Right right. Let's take a seat so we can get started." Nick suggested as he gestured towards a comfortable seating area in the middle of the library-slash-study. Harry seated himself on the couch while the couple took the sofa across him. "Now, from what you said in the letter, you're here to return our stone?"

Harry nodded and pulled out a shrunken box from his robe. He placed it on the table and tapped it with a finger. It returned to its original size before Harry pushed it cross the table towards the couple.

"As promised, one Philosopher's Stone, safe and sound." said Harry with a smile.

Nicholas eagerly took the box and opened it to see his artifact inside. He pulled out the blood red stone and studied it carefully before nodding.

"Untouched, though from the amount of power it has at the moment, I think you accidentally converted a few bars of lead into gold?" Nick said slyly causing Harry to look at him in surprise.

"How did you know that?" Harry asked in disbelief. Nick let out a laugh which his wife mimicked.

"Let me tell you something about the Philosopher's Stone, young Harry, though I trust that this information will not be…shared to the public, especially those that you don't trust?" Nick asked, brown eyes boring into green.

"Of course, Nick. If you want, I can swear an oath to that effect." Harry offered, pulling out his wand just in case the Flamels wanted him to take the oath.

"No oath is needed, Harry. If you were trustworthy enough to return the stone to us in one piece then you are definitely trustworthy enough for this information." Nick said with a grin. He definitely liked this boy.

"Thank you." Harry said with a smile before returning the wand to his holster with a thought. Nick returned the smile as Penny conjured tea with a wave of her hand causing Harry to gawk at the casual display of wandless magic. Sure, he could do spells wandlessly but the way Penny did it was so easy while barely sensing any magic being used. It spoke of proficiency and years of practice.

"You're welcome." said Nick before noticing Harry's reaction to his wife casual use of wandless magic. "As you can see, Harry, we didn't just enjoy the benefits of long life and wealth by being idle. Penny and I perfected our use of magic and the various arts we delved into since we don't have anything better to do, as well as amassing different knowledge of both muggle and magic as you can see from the size of my library."

"I can definitely see that." Harry said in awe as he looked greedily at the number of books in the huge room. "I could hardly detect any magic being used when she conjured the tea set. I could do it but I still can't control the power output like she did."

"You can do wandless magic?" Penny asked in surprise while her husband gave the boy a speculative look.

Harry nodded and looked at the table causing it to float a few feet off the floor before slowly lowering it back. The feat didn't even spill the tea, a testament to his control of the spell.

"Amazing." Penny asked as a 12-year old boy performed a feat of magic that none of his age shouldn't be able to do, much less an experienced wizard. It was perfectly done but the spell was overpowered though it was tightly controlled. "You need more practice in generating the required power but that comes with experience. I remember Nick's first time at wandless magic. He practically destroyed the chair he wanted to float. It just shot up to the ceiling and got smashed to bits." Penny informed him with a chuckle causing Nick to grumble.

"What do you expect? That was my first time." Nick said with a pout.

"Yes, dear. You did good on your first try." said Penny, patting her husband's cheek. Nick grinned at her before turning to a clearly amused Harry.

"Anyway, before I digress, I know you used the stone, though accidentally, due to the amount of magical energy it had left." Nick continued.

"Eh?" Harry asked in surprise.

"Let me see if I can explain it better. Are you aware of the concept of a muggle battery?"

"Of course, sir." Harry said with a nod. Nick beamed at him.

"The Philosopher's Stone is similar to a muggle battery but it stores magical energy in large amounts. However, the stone was created to have a purpose, unlike a battery. Three purposes, to be exact." Nick explained excitedly causing Penny to roll her eyes at her husband.

"Three? I thought it only has two." Harry asked curiously.

"Ah, studied the stone, have you?" Nick said slyly. Harry blushed before nodding guiltily. "Not to worry, Harry. Anyone would be curious enough to study such a powerful artifact and you are indeed a rare one. You could have hidden the artifact and used it for your own purpose. Immortality and wealth at your fingertips yet you chose to do the honorable thing by returning it to us. Because of that, you have my respect." Nick said with a nod of gratitude followed by his wife.

Harry blushed at the praise.

"It was the best thing to do, Nick. My conscience would have kept me awake at night if I let you and Penny die because I didn't return what was originally yours; though I do have wonder why you let Dumbledore hide the stone considering that you kept it hidden from the world for hundreds of years." Harry asked curiously. "Anyway, would it be alright if you tell me the third use of the stone? I know that it can be used to evolve a material to its ultimate form, like lead to gold or coal to diamond, and make the Elixir of Life, but what is its third purpose."

"Ah, the third purpose of the stone is to make any enchantment permanent." Nick said with a smug grin on his face.

"WHOAH! Really?" Harry asked in surprise. Nick nodded.

"Yes, however, that would cause the stone to lose most of its power and it would take quite a while for it to recharge." Nick explained. "You see, Harry, many believe that the stone is the ultimate artifact but it has a flaw. Each use requires magical energy that the stone had in store. For example, turning lead into gold takes about half of its stored energy that would take two months to recharge. The Elixir of Life takes about a fourth of its energy to make a batch equaling to twelve doses which would give Penny and I six years of extended life. However, using it to make an enchantment permanent would take a full store of energy."

"I see." Harry said with a nod. "I never thought of it that way. I knew that the stone had a flaw of some sort because there is no such thing as a full-proof artifact."

"Indeed. Now, what do you require as a form of payment?" said Nick seriously. Harry shook his head before giving the couple in front of him a smile.

"To be quite honest with you both, the only payment I required was to get to meet you both. I read quite a lot about Nicholas Flamel and the Philosopher's Stone but quite a lot of the information have a lot of holes in it, so to speak."

Nick and Penny was surprised at the admission and both were able to determine that the boy in front of them was honest with his words. Harry James Potter continued to surprise them. He was definitely not an ordinary wizard.

"So let me get this straight. You returned the Philosopher's Stone, the most powerful artifact in the world that grants both wealth and immortality, and only expect to meet us in person?" asked the famed alchemist with a raised eyebrow.

Harry nodded before explaining himself.

"Let me assure you both that I am being honest. Let's face it, I'm not worried about wealth considering what my family left me. I have too much money to spend in my lifetime. Immortality is not really a pursuit for me since I have no intentions of living forever. Sure, I aim to live longer and the best as I could but immortality is overrated. What I prize most, however, is knowledge and Nick telling me the purpose of the stone is enough of a payment." Harry explained with a wry grin.

Nick and Penny looked at each other before giving Harry an incredulous look. Penny was about to say something but was stopped when Nick burst out in a hearty laugh.

"My boy, you are definitely a rarity in the magical world. We already have a reward for you for the return of the stone but we decided to ask you in order to determine your heart. Suffice to say, you surpassed our expectations."

Harry didn't say anything, shocked at what he was hearing, and only nodded dumbly, making the two Flamels chuckle at him.

"Because of your honesty, I will grant you a boon. You can request one thing that I can do with the stone. I can give you a supply of Elixir of Life or give you gold that would triple your wealth, or you can have an object enchanted permanently though that would have to wait considering that the stone is at three-fourth of magical power." Nick offered causing Harry to look at him in shock before fainting.

"I think you overdid it, dear." Penny pointed out as she eyed the unconscious boy in front of her.

"You think?" Nick said sarcastically before sending a wandless enervate spell at Harry, causing him to wake up with a groan.

"Ugh, that was a great dream." Harry said groggily. "I just had the most amazing dream that I talked with the Flamels and they offered me a reward for returning the stone."

"No, dear, you didn't dream any of it." said Penny in amusement. Nick just grinned at the boy.

"No dream, Harry, so what will it be?"

"Are you sure about that offer, Nick?" Harry asked in surprise.

"Quite sure. But you can only choose one. Extended life, wealth beyond your wildest dreams, or an enchantment. Which would it be?" Nick asked excitedly.

"Well, if you're really sure, then I will chose the third." Harry said with a grin.

"Eh?" Nick and Penny reacted in unison causing Harry to chuckle.

"I am currently working on a project but I need a stable power supply. If your offer is real then I would request that you enchant a battery of sorts, similar to the stone, that can store and replenish magical energy."

"Interesting. What are you going to use it for?" Nick asked curiously.

Harry told them about ART and the next phase of the project which includes the creation of a magical powerful supply of sorts to give ART a form of telekinesis that would be of great aid to his research. After explaining the schematics of the AI to the Flamels, the couple were looking at him in disbelief.

"Are you telling me that you, a 12 year old wizard, created a muggle artificial intelligence and imbued it with a magical property that you can interact with like another sentient being?" Nick asked incredulously.

Harry nodded with a cheeky grin on his face.

"I know it sounds unbelievable but I can prove it to you. I can take you to my workshop so you can see it for yourself."

Nick and Penny looked at each other for a few moments before giving a nod.

"We will take that offer, Harry. If what you said is true that you just created the most powerful artifact even with my stone. A sentient device using muggle technology and magic is pure genius." Nick crowed in excitement.

Harry nodded excitedly before a thought occurred to him.

"I would like to keep everything a secret so if it's not too much trouble, can you give me your oaths that you will not tell anyone of what I've been working on until I give you permission?" Harry asked seriously.

Nick and Penny agreed to the stipulation and gave Harry their oaths. When the vow settled, Harry pulled out a portkey he created in advance before leaving his workshop and presented it to the Flamels who touched it with a finger.

"Before we leave, let me tell you a secret. Harry Potter can be found at 29 Diagon Alley."

Both Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel looked at him in surprise before the portkey activated.

* * *

"Merlin's saggy nuts! This is unbelievable!" Nick exclaimed his amazement as he looked at the hologram floating in the air after interviewing ART. Harry merely stood to the side and let the aged alchemist interact with his artificial intelligence.

Penny whacked her husband hard on the head.

"Language, Nicholas." said Penny before turning to a grinning Harry. "This is amazing dear. Not only were you able to create a sentient machine with magical capabilities, you took it to such a level that it could greatly help in various projects."

"Thank you for the compliment, Penny. I did my best." Harry said with a blush.

"You not only did your best, my boy, you did excellently. If the magical world learns of your creation then you would be immediately granted an Order of Merlin First Class." said Nick with a grin. "Though, ART's knowledge is quite limited at the moment."

"_I assure you, Mr. Flamel, I am still compiling data by scanning my master's many books in the house."_ said ART with a hurt tone.

"I didn't mean to imply that you know less, ART. I simply meant that you would be more efficient if you had more to work with." said Nick with a grin, happy to interact with a sentient machine. Magical portraits were minor inventions compared to this. How the boy accomplished this feat he would never know. "Though my next gift to Harry would be a great help to your integrated knowledge."

"Next gift?" Harry asked dumbly. What was the old coot up to?

Nick didn't say anything but pulled out a shrunken trunk from his pocket and laid it on the floor. He canceled the enchantment returning it to its full size. Harry saw that it was an ordinary trunk.

"This my boy is a copy of some books in my library that would be a great boon to your years at Hogwarts. If I knew what you were capable off then I would have included more advanced books in various magical subjects." said Nick with a grin as he looked at the dumbfounded look on the young prodigy's face. "ART, as a test to your scanning capabilities, tell me how many books are there on the trunk."

"_Basing on the readings when I scanned it, Mr. Flamel, there are approximately 320 shrunken books inside the trunk."_

"Perfect. You got it correctly, ART." Nick said happily.

"Indeed, sir." ART said smugly making Nick let out a chuckle amusement. "Do you want me to scan the books and integrate it into my databanks?"

"Please do, ART." Harry said gratefully.

"_Allocating resources to secondary task. Scanning in progress. Estimated time of completion, 7 days, 22 hours, 15 minutes, and 18 seconds." _ART reported.

"That was fast." Penny exclaimed in surprise.

"_The added processing capabilities of the new server increased my scanning capabilities by a factor of 5, Mrs. Flamel."_ ART explained.

"So the more servers I hook up to the main server, the better your processing power would be?" Harry said in surprise, not knowing this tidbit of information.

"_Indeed, sir, though I would like to inform you that after finishing scanning all the books, free space for my databank would be down to 35%. I suggest that you add more storage hardware to the servers as soon as possible if you wish to increase the knowledge I hold." _

"Please put that down for next week, ART."

"_Will do, sir."_

"So, Harry, why do you need a power source? As far as I can tell, your AI is working perfectly." Nick said as he eyed the floating hologram in front of him, reading ART's capabilities he requested. He was impressed when ART pulled up the schematics of Harry's Magic-to-Electricity Rune Set. It was pure genius.

"That is true, Nick, but…here. Take a look at this one. ART, pull up my notes on our recent project marked Telekinesis 01."

Another screen appeared beside the one Nick was reading. The famed alchemist read the Arithmancy and Rune calculations and could help but be impressed.

"I see. The calculations are flawless and this will definitely work. You are quite correct that the current absorption rate of ambient energy wouldn't be enough to power this enchantment and increasing the absorption rate of your Magic-to-Electricity rune would destroy the machine via overload." Nick noted as he read through one of Harry's notes on the subject. "Ah, additional energy source directly attached to the AI's projection rune. Ingenious."

"I know. The Technomancer in New York who traded it to me made it an open matrix that would allow changes if necessary. If I attached my Telekinetic Rune on the extension rune, then ART would be capable of using a mild form of Telekinesis to interact with the physical world."

"Hm, a magical battery is definitely necessary for that but you need a magically conductive material to transfer the energy to the rune matrix, hmmm, ah, you're planning to use Mithril as a conductive material." Nick commented. "This would work."

"So you think you can make a magical battery for me?" Harry said hopefully.

"I will definitely make you one, my boy. It's the least I could do. I will also send you a book on storing magical energy for study. It would take a month before I can send you the item, as well as my notes. Would that be alright?"

"Perfect. Thank you for your help, Nick."

"No worries, Harry. I'm glad that I can help you in such a project. If you have it completed, I might even commission you to make one for me if it is allowed." Nick said with a grin.

"No problem. I can definitely make you one with a promise that you will keep it a secret and not show it around." Harry said seriously.

"Alright, lad. Penny and I will return to France and get started on your request. I might also send you a few more books from my collection though I wouldn't be able to send you any of my books on Alchemy since most of them would be on the creation of the stone. The information is just too dangerous to release even to you." Nick pointed out with a smile.

"Thanks, Nick. You already did enough for me and I am eternally grateful." Harry said happily.

"We are the ones who are grateful, dear." said Penny before giving Harry a kiss on the cheek causing the poor boy to blush.

* * *

**End of Chapter 17. **

**Please leave a message or a review. **


	18. Chapter 18

**Hi, my readers. Here is another chapter for your enjoyment. However, my next update will be delayed for a bit since I'm on a road trip. Work demands me to go out and broaden my horizon (actually, the project is in another city so have to go there...12 hours by bus, oh my aching butt). Hopefully, there's an Internet connection in where I'm staying so I can update the next chapter which is already at 30%.  
**

**Anyway, enjoy.  
**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any other stories that this story might be similar to. **

**Chapter 18: The Potter Pixie Phenomenon**

Harry spent the rest of the summer doing nothing but study, practicing spells, and working on his projects. He wouldn't be able to work with ART on the new addition to the AI's capabilities since the magical battery wouldn't be finished until September so he spent most of his time working on a communication system of sorts that would allow him to interface with ART using his laptop while in school. This way, he could continue his studies and research even while at Hogwarts.

Thanks to the Internet enchantment on his laptop and servers, that was easily done.

He already received his letter from Hogwarts through Griphook regarding his supplies for Second Year. He purchased all the books, potion ingredients, parchments, and the likes. However, he was disgusted when he read the Lockhart books since they were more fiction than facts. If they weren't required reading materials, he would have burned them as soon as he finished reading the lot.

ART cross referenced the Lockhart's 'feats' and 80% of them were pure fiction and deemed impossible with the current magical advancement.

Really, using a spell on a werewolf to reverse the curse? Who was gullible enough to believe that? If the spell was indeed real then there wouldn't be any more werewolves.

The most exciting part of the summer, aside from meeting the Flamels of course, was the retrieval of his father's journal from the ruins of Potter Cottage in Godric's Hollow. He commissioned a team of goblins to check out the place to retrieve anything salvageable.

Among the items salvaged were stuffed toys found a nursery – a stuffed black dog, a wolf, a white tag, a tiger, and a rat, though the latter was burned to crisp while the rest were now his sleeping partners.

The books were scanned and placed in the Potter Vault for safekeeping while the journal was kept with him for study. Of course, ART helped a bit by scanning the journal in advance so Harry could read it anywhere without lugging the book around.

When Harry finished his father's journal, he was livid!

Albus Dumbledore definitely meddled in the Potter's life.

How his father could be so stupid, he would never know.

Why chose the less defensible Potter Cottage for the ancient wards of Potter Manor with only a Fidelius as protection?

Why didn't his parents become the Secret Keeper like him? It would definitely keep the secret out of Voldemort's hands and they would have lived through the event and giving Harry a happy home.

Thankfully, Harry temper died down when the journal provided the evidence he needed to get Sirius out of Azkaban. His father wrote in the journal that they switched to Pettigrew when Sirius suggested it. Dumbledore knew of the switch since he was the one who cast the charm but the old coot didn't do anything to stop his godfather from going to prison. He now had another to add to Dumbledore's list of grievances and the old coot would definitely pay if Harry had something to say about it.

Speaking of Sirius, his godfather was doing well in Azkaban. The old dog reported that he was now as healthy as a horse and the Dementors were no longer giving him any problems thanks to the potion. Months of food, rest, and exercise were definitely working since Sirius's letter sounded so lively.

In terms of magic, Sirius was having a hard time doing wandless magic since his core was already accustomed to using a wand. To rectify this problem, Harry sent Zieg to Sirius with his Mithril Ring to help his godfather in exercising his magical core. He no longer needed it so he might as well get some use out of it. Sirius definitely liked the gift if the extravagant praise Harry received from the man through a letter was anything to go by.

* * *

Harry exited the Floo in Platform 9 and ¾ before making his way towards the train. He didn't want to go through the barrier and suffer the human traffic at King's Cross so he used the Floo at the Leaky to get to the station.

He made his way to his favorite compartment only to find that it was already filled with his Slytherin friends. Harry, however, was confused why all of them were giving him glares, especially Draco.

"Uh, why are you all glaring at me like that?" Harry asked a bit apprehensively. Draco was the elected spokesman of the group since he immediately stood from his seat and bellowed.

"YOU! WHY IN THE WORLD DIDN'T YOU REPLY TO OUR LETTERS? DIDN'T YOU REALIZE HOW WORRIED WE WERE?"

"Moi? Letters?" Harry asked with a confused tilt of his head.

"YES! ALL OF US SENT YOU LETTERS AND YOU DIDN'T REPLY TO A SINGLE ONE!" Draco shouted. Harry looked at the rest of the group to see them nodding in affirmative.

"Uh, sorry guys and gals but I didn't receive any letters from anyone except for my Hogwarts letters and your gifts, of course." Harry asked, really confused this time. Their glares softened but it would seem that Draco was still in full rant mode.

"YOU DIDN'T GET ANY OF OUR LETTERS?"

Harry sighed. He flicked out his wand and pointed it over his heart.

"I, Harry James Potter, swear on my life and magic that I didn't receive any letters from Draco Malfoy, Daphne Greengrass, Tracy Davis, Blaise Zabini, Pansy Parkinson, Vincent, Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle, except for the gifts the aforementioned sent me for my birthday. So I state it, so mote it be." intoned Harry as a glow of magic surrounded him before dying down. He flicked his wand and cast a Lumos charm. "There. As you can see, I am still breathing and I still have magic so I didn't get your letters."

They were definitely convinced since their glares turned to confused frowns. Draco slumped into his seat, drained from shouting the whole time. Harry merely gave the blonde an amused smirk.

"That doesn't sound right. We sent you letters after your birthday. You did get our gifts right?" asked Blaise with a bit of worry in his voice.

"Yes, I did and I even sent you all replies." Harry said as he showed the cufflinks with the Potter Crest that was Blaise's gift to him.

"Uh, this is weird, we didn't get any of your replies." Blaise quipped causing everyone to nod in agreement.

"That is definitely weird. I sent the letter through Eyelops since Hedwig wouldn't be able to deliver all of them in a single trip. If you didn't get any of them and I didn't get any of your mails then someone is definitely intercepting my mail." Harry said with a frown. He wondered if Dumbledore had a hand in this.

"You might want to contact Eyelops then. If they sent the letters and we didn't get them then something is definitely wrong." Daphne pointed out.

"_Just my luck. Why does things always happen to me."_ Harry inwardly cursed as he slumped on a vacant seat that Crabbe opened up for him. "I'm really sorry. I'll find out why you didn't get my mails."

"Don't worry about it, Har. As far as we know, the oath you made, which wasn't necessary by the way, ensured that you definitely didn't get our letters." Draco said with a frown. Harry nodded before addressing them.

"So, what did you people write to me?" Harry asked with a smile on his face. It warmed his heart that these people were concerned about him.

"Well, I sent you a letter a week after your birthday inviting you to a Malfoy Ball." Draco said with a huff.

"A letter asking what you did for the summer." said Daphne.

"Ditto." quipped Tracy.

Brute one and two merely grunted in negative meaning they didn't send him letters.

"I sent you a letter asking if you did the Potions homework and some advice about the ingredients." Blaise informed him.

"Hope you were able to cope without my genius." Harry said, puffing out his chest and buffing his nails on it.

"Hardy har har. Yes, I was able to finish my homework though I want you to double check it just in case." Blaise said with a roll of his eyes.

"Sure sure. I'll do that when we get to Hogwarts or I can check it out now if you like." Harry offered.

Blaise shook his head before answering.

"Later at school."

Harry nodded before giving Pansy a questioning look.

"Same with Blaise though mine was in Charms. And if you ask, you can check it out later." said Pansy with a grin.

"Gotcha. So, what did you do for the summer?" Harry asked to get the conversation started. It was definitely nice to be surrounded by friends.

-x-x-x-xx-x-

They were halfway to Hogwarts when Harry was accosted by the Twins when he was on his way to the loo.

"Harry…"

"Old Chap…"

"Did you…"

"By chance…"

"Saw…"

"Our brother…"

"Ronniekins?" both finished in unison.

"Huh?" Harry said confused, as well as feeling a slight migraine forming from looking back and forth the twins as they did their unique method of talking. "Uh…no, I didn't."

"Dang…"

"Mom is…"

"Going to…"

"Skin us..."

"Alive!" both said in unison as they paled in fear.

Harry was about to leave when he saw something at the corner of his eyes. He looked to the left and outside the window to see a flying Ford Angelina beside the train. He saw the driver.

"You might want to look out the window." Harry said, pointing to his left.

The Weasley Twins followed where Harry was pointing before both exclaimed in surprise.

"Wow!"

"Well, there's your lost brother. Why he took the high road, I will never know. Toodles!" said Harry before scooting out of the way but not before hearing the Twins praise their brother for such a detention-worthy act. Harry shook his head in exasperation. He liked the twins but they were headaches when they were in the mood.

* * *

Harry Potter was looking at the skeleton-like horses that was strapped to the front of the carriage. This was the first time he saw them though he did remember in his First Year seeing the carriages but not the horses. He was about to ask out loud when a dreamy voice from behind him answered the unasked questions.

"Thestrals. Beautiful, aren't they?"

Harry turned around to see a young girl with dirty blonde hair. She was wearing radish earrings and a necklace made from bottle caps.

"Excuse me?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow.

"The horses pulling the carriages. They are called Thestrals. Father always said that Thestrals were misunderstood creatures." the girl explained, her eyes had a certain glaze to it that Harry found…otherworldly.

"I see," said Harry as he switched his gaze to one of the Thestrals who was giving him a look. Harry could feel the curiosity of the creature towards him. "I read of them but this is the first time I ever saw one."

"Indeed, Harry Potter." said the girl with a nod. "Only those who saw death may see the Thestrals. To the rest, they are invisible to the naked eye."

"Thank you for the information, Ms…"

"Luna, Luna Lovegood." the girl supplied, her blue eyes looking into Harry's green. Harry had this weird feeling that the girl was looking deep into his soul.

"Nice to meet you, Luna Lovegood." said Harry, recognizing the name immediately. "Are you by chance related to Selene Lovegood?"

Luna's face turned sad for a brief second before returning to her dream-like quality.

"Yes, she is my mom."

"Ah, she helped me quite a few years back and if its possible, could you extend my thanks to her?"

"She already knows, Harry, after all, mom and your parents are together and watching over us." Luna said with a sad smile. "If you'll excuse me, I have to make my way to the boats. Be careful around Nargles, Harry, they tend to lead you astray if you're not careful."

Harry frowned as she looked at the retreating form of Luna Lovegood. He deduced from the girl's cryptic words that Selene Lovegood was already dead; saddening him a bit that one of the people who helped him was no longer alive.

Deciding to watch the girl from now on, Harry walked over to a carriage where Draco was sitting with Pansy and entered, but not before giving the Thestral a small scratch on the ear that cause it to whinny in happiness.

* * *

Harry wanted to bang his head on the table. The sorting went without a hitch and he was quite happy that Luna Lovegood was in Ravenclaw. He made a decision to befriend the strange, but nice girl and being in Ravenclaw made it easier. However, the good mood went down the drain when the old coot introduced their newest DADA professor – Gilderoy Lockhart.

Harry's deteriorating mood went down further when he noticed a first year red head girl giving him looks of longing and…lust? He was scared out of his wits when McGonagall revealed the identity of the girl – Giverva Weasley.

Ravenclaw house was treated to a funny sight of the popular Harry James Potter banging his head on the table repeatedly.

"What in the world got your panties in a twist, Potter?" asked Terry Boot who paused from biting a chunk out of the fried chicken he was holding.

"Ugh. You don't want to know." Harry murmured, his head still connected to the table. Quite a lot of the girls in the house were snickering at him.

"Really, Harry, what caused you to destroy some of your brain cells by banging your head on the table." urged Terry. Harry growled before raising his head off the table. His forehead had a noticeable red patch that gave testament to how hard he was hitting the table.

"Fine, if you really want to know, the first reason why I want to cause brain damage to myself is our DADA instructor." Harry growled before vigorously spearing a roast potato with his fork.

"What's wrong with Professor Lockhart?" asked Mandy Brocklehurst with a frown on her face.

"Yeah, he's so dreamy." Cho said with a dreamy sigh.

Harry gave the two girls an incredulous look.

"Wait a minute, don't tell me you didn't read his books?" Harry asked in pure disbelief. He couldn't believe that these girls were Ravenclaws.

"Of course we did. He is so heroic." Cho said with a sigh towards Lockhart who saw her look and gave her a smile. Harry could have sworn that he saw twinkling in one of the man's teeth.

"I can't believe you people, you're Ravenclaws. Don't tell me that you didn't research the facts when you read his books?" Harry asked, noticing that the entire table was now focused on him.

"Explain, Harry." asked Penny.

"Alright, fine. Let me point out some of the facts. Is there a cure for lycanthropy?" Harry started the debate. He was using his 'teacher's voice' his study group dubbed so everyone was listening.

"None that we know of, though the best solution so far is the _Wolfsbane Potion_." quipped one of the Ravenclaw Seventh Year girls.

"Correct. According to one of Lockhart's books, he mentioned that he reversed a werewolf's transformation using a SPELL. Tell me, if there is such a spell then why in the world do we still have werewolves running around during full moons?" Harry challenged causing some of the students to look at him in disbelief.

"Second, the _Patronus Charm_ is used mostly against Dementors, emotionally depressed patients, Lenthifolds, and sending short message over long distances. So how in Merlin's beard did Lockhart BANISH the Banshee with a Patronus Charm?"

Harry didn't know it but everyone in the hall was listening to him, even the professors.

"Next, in _Gadding with Ghouls_, he mentioned that he fought with bloodthirsty ghouls that was killing villagers. Let me remind you, my fellow Ravenclaws, that a Ghoul is a metaphysical entity that classed as a harmless XX creature by the Ministry of Magic since they only attack your eardrums. For crying out loud, they live in attics since they like cramped spaces and they don't EAT and KILL humans. The most suffering you can get from a Ghoul is if they bust your eardrums."

Harry didn't notice Lockhart sweating up a storm, Snape and Flitwick smirking like a storm, and McGonagall grinning like a loon.

"Another example is in _Voyages with Vampires_. Lockhart mentioned, and I quote… _'I destroyed a coven of vampires with a Lumos Solarem spell'_. The _Lumos Solarem_ spell is an upgrade version of the _Lumos Charm_. The only difference is that it fires off a HARMLESS beam of light in one direction instead of illuminated an area. Also, light spells of any kind DO NOT kills vampires. The only light that can kill them is sunlight so that is the reason why you only see vampires at NIGHT!"

Harry took a sip of pumpkin juice from his goblet before firing of his next salvo. He didn't notice that everyone wasn't eating and their attention was centered on him.

"I won't waste your time by quoting all the books but let me ask you this. A Yeti is a bear-like magical creature that lives high in the Himalayas which is their natural habitat being that they like the cold. So tell me my fellow peers, WHY THE WORLD IS THERE A YETI IN AFRICA?" Harry yelled the last part.

Since his fellow Ravenclaws was silent, he decided to eat but he noticed that everyone was looking at him in awe, disbelief, and admiration.

"WHAT? IF YOU DOUBT ME, READ HIS BOOKS AND CHECK OUT THE FACTS AT THE LIBRARY. REALLY PEOPLE!"

* * *

Harry didn't know it but his impromptu study session caused quite a divide among the Hogwarts population the next day.

Die-hard Lockhart fans were glaring at him.

Confused Lockhart fans were shooting him thoughtful looks.

An Anti-Lockhart students were glaring at Lockhart.

Of course, Harry was oblivious to the whole thing since he mostly kept to himself with his usual routine of study, study session, tutoring his classmates, and doing research.

Harry's first class for the year was DADA with the Gryffindors. Harry wasn't looking forward to the class but he had to attend since he was enrolled in the subject and he didn't want to flunk the class just because the teacher was a fraud.

However, the class turned out to be a disaster when Dumb-Hart, as Harry liked to call him, showed off his stupidity by unleashing Cornish Pixies in a classroom filled with untrained students.

Fortunately, the pixies were harmless but they were annoying.

While the pixies were turning the classroom into a warzone with Dumb-Hart retreating into his office for safety, Harry was currently reading an Advanced DADA book given to him by the Flamels with two pixies sitting on his left shoulder, three pixies sitting on his right, and two pixies looking down at the book from their perch on top of his head.

Of course, the young sorcerer didn't mind the intrusion since they weren't doing anything to hinder his reading, they just read along. His reading was interrupted when a voice from his left broke through his concentration.

"Er, Harry, a little h-help here?"

Harry turned to the speaker to see Terry Boot being manhandled by three pixies. Two of them were playing a weird game of Tug-of-War using his hair as a rope and one of the pixies got a hold of his wand and was trying to stuff it into his nose.

Terry, on the other hand, was trying not to cry when he saw Harry Potter look at him with a confused expression on his face. The seven pixies on his person were also looking at him in confusion. If the situation wasn't so dire, he would have laughed at the sight.

"What do you want, Terry?" Harry asked, tilting his head to the side. Unknown to him, the pixies on his person also followed the action.

"C-can you…ow…help us here, Harry?" Terry said as the pixie was now trying to push the tip of his wand into his right ear.

Harry sighed and finally looked around him. He raised an eyebrow when he noticed the room was a disaster. Pixies were running amuck and Dumb-Hart was nowhere in sight. Deciding that the noise would just interrupt his reading for the rest of the period, he decided to handle the situation.

"ALRIGHT, PIXIES! FRONT AND CENTER! TEN-HUT!" Harry bellowed.

The Ravenclaws and Gryffindors stared in shocked as the pixies in the room flew immediately towards Harry Potter and arranged themselves into a neat four-row formation.

"Alright, guys." Half of the pixies coughed. "and gals. I give you three option."

The pixies leaned forward in interest, the students also doing the same.

"Option one…you go back to your cage."

The pixies were glaring at the cage. The students were looking hopefully at the cage.

"Option two…I open the window and you can make your way to freedom. I suggest you set up a colony of sorts in the Forbidden Forest. Plenty of space."

The pixies nodded in agreement but two of the pixies raised their hands with three fingers outstretched – a clear sign that they want to hear what option three was. The students were also nodding since they wanted to hear what the third option was.

"Option three, I open Lockhart's office, you terrorize him a bit then I'll leave the window open so you can escape." The students were staring at him in disbelief. "Let's take a vote. Option one?"

None of the pixies raised their hand but they were glaring at the cage. The students were whimpering.

"Option two?"

None of the pixies raised their hand. The student's whimpers disappeared and turned into evil grins which were also on the pixies' faces.

"Option three?"

All the pixies raised both their hands while giggling madly with the students doing the same.

"Then the people have spoken." said Harry solemnly as he snapped his fingers causing his wand to appear in his hand and flicked it towards the DADA Professor's office causing the door to squeak open. He flicked it again, towards the window this time, opening it for the pixies escape later. "There you go. Have fun!"

The pixies gave Harry a salute before doing an about face in unison. One of the pixies yelled a tiny shout of 'Chaaaaarge' before flying madly towards the open door.

Three seconds later, Lockhart ran out of his office screaming like a banshee as the pixies were trying to remove his colorful robes. He ran blindly into a door and smacked face-first into it. Through an amazing feat of resilience, Lockhart recovered, opened the door, and ran out screaming again with the pixies flying after him.

Harry nodded before noticing the passengers on his shoulders.

"Uh, you're not going to join your friends?" Harry asked the hitchhikers on his shoulders.

The pixies shook their heads and pointed at the book on the table.

"Ah, carry on then." Harry said with a nod before pouring all his focus on the book with the pixies on his shoulders doing the same.

The rest of the Ravenclaws and the entire Gryffindors were looking at him in disbelief.

* * *

"Uh, Harry, why are there pixies on your shoulders and hair?" Neville asked worriedly. He was in the DADA class with the Ravenclaw and knew that the pixies were…dangerous towards anyone not a Potter.

The students inside the Hogwarts Library were staring at Harry Potter in disbelief. There were three pixies on his right shoulder reading a floating book on magical creatures, two on his right shoulder reading a floating book on Herbology, while the two on top of his head was reading another floating book, this time on Astronomy. Harry was busy reading his defense book on the table.

Harry looked up to look at Neville. The pixies were also staring at the chubby Gryffindor. All eight sets of eyes locked onto the nervous boy in curiosity.

"What?" Harry asked, titling his head to the side. The pixies were also doing the same.

Before Neville could say anything, Madam Pince walked up to the table and addressed Harry and his…passengers.

"Mr. Potter, I hope your…friends know to treat my books with care?" Madam Pince asked in an ominous voice, eyeing the suddenly nervous pixies.

Harry and the pixies gulped in unison before nodding their heads vigorously.

"Good. Carry on." said Madam Pince with a satisfied nod before moving back to her counter.

Harry shifted his attention to Neville.

"You were saying, Nev?"

"Nevermind, Harry."

Harry and his pixies shrugged before going back to their reading.

* * *

The students and faculty of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry were treated to a very unique sight - Harry Potter walking down the hallway towards the Ravenclaw dorm reading a book, expertly avoiding passing students without even a glance.

This wasn't what caught their attention. In fact, what caught their attention was the number of pixies on his person – each group reading their own respective book as they floated with Potter's every step.

Harry was forced to rent out the books since his new pixie friends wanted to finish their reading. He was fortunate that Madam Pince liked him that she allowed the release of the books after extracting a promise from the young Sorcerer that they would be returned in one piece.

The sight of Harry Potter and his pixies started a rumor that Potter had the power to charm the un-charmable pixies turning them into Ravenclaw pixies. When Professor Flitwick saw them, the half-goblin Charms professor contemplated the possibility of turning them into their house mascots.

Thus started the rare event known as the Potter Pixie Phenomenon, a first in Hogwarts history.

* * *

**End of chapter 18.**

**Please leave a comment or a review.**


	19. Chapter 19

**I checked my email to see quite A LOT of reviews for this story. I apologize for the delay since my work is at its peak and I barely have time to write and my muse left me for a bit to leave me to concentrate on my profession. **

**Anyway, here's Chapter 19. **

**I am editing the old stories I have in the backburner so hopefully I can publish them soon if I find them to my liking. **

**Anyway, what do you think of the idea of doing a bit of a minor crossover with some works during Harry's summer days? Send me a PM if it is a good idea or not. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or The Belgariad for that matter. Give credit to J.K. Rowling and David Eddings for these astounding works of fiction. **

* * *

**Chapter 19: Petrified Cats, House Elves, and Rogue Bludgers**

All the classes, well, except for DADA, were interesting for Harry. Because of the indirect public dressing down that Harry gave Lockhart through his books and his handling of the pixies the first DADA class, Defense became the most hated subject in Hogwarts.

Gilderoy Lockhart lost almost all the respect the students had for him because of Harry. In fact, only the diehard Lockhart fans stayed true to their golden-haired hero since they COULDN'T accept him as a fraud.

In terms of class, Harry took notes, mostly on theories or some new tips on spell casting the professors imparted from experience that couldn't be found in books, then read in advance if he already knew what they were teaching or spend some time helping his classmates master the spells or explain the theories better.

The professors simply ignored Harry if he read books outside the subject. His stellar grades made them confident that the young Potter wasn't slacking off, but reading ahead to increase his knowledge.

Even Snape ignored Harry when he was immersed in his books during Potions even if the books were not related to the subject. Harry Potter brewed ALL the assigned potions perfectly so he had nothing to complain about. Besides, his study session reduced the number of explosions to almost zero (the only explosion going on in the Potions classroom was from the brewing of Ronald Weasley since no one wanted to help him).

Harry also spent most of his free time in a heavily warded room in the unused wing of the castle to practice his spell casting, mostly alone or sometimes with Neville since the Longbottom heir expressed the desire to master the spells he learned or knew. Harry used one of his family-only wards to avoid detection and even added a small notice-me-not ward to make sure that he and his guests aren't disturb if someone did stumble on their location.

The reason why he worked on his spellwork was to make sure he mastered ALL the curriculum taught him. Sure, he was knowledgeable when it came to spells and potions but casting spells and brewing were a whole new ballgame that needed a whole new level of practice to master.

To put it simply, Harry was a perfectionist when it came to his education. Also, he had a full schedule since he didn't limit himself to what was being taught in class.

Considering the Electives weren't offered yet, Harry had plenty of free time to read or research using the books gifted to him by the Flamels or the ones available to him in the Hogwarts Library. He couldn't access the Restricted Section normally but that didn't stop him. He would sometimes teleport there in the middle of the night to peruse a book or two without triggering the alarms by freezing the effect of the enchantments.

His weekday schedule was fixed and followed in a religious fashion which made some of his friends roll their eyes at him in exasperation.

The classes were spaced out accordingly to ensure that the students had plenty of time to cope with the harder course work – two hours per subject two in the morning and one in the afternoon. The two hours before dinner was spent in the library with his study group to work on their homework or just discuss the lessons in general. Sometimes, the slowly growing group would adjourn to the lake to relax after a particularly difficult lesson, discussing random topics like Quidditch, hobbies, and the likes.

Two hours after dinner was spent in the Ravenclaw common room to help his peers or the younger years in their homework with the higher years joining in for an intellectual discussion or two.

After dinner, Harry would then adjourn to the privacy of his room to talk to ART, discussing the various projects he had in the works or visit the Restricted Section if he needed more rare tomes as reference though he made a point to give his laptop some tweaks so he could copy the tomes he liked to add to his collection.

Before going to bed, Harry would spend an hour to meditate, working on his Occlumency to further strengthen his mental shields through communication with his subconscious, as well as properly categorizing his knowledge and memories for faster recall.

Harry reserved his weekend for practicing. The weekend was separated into two blocks.

The whole Saturday was spent practicing spells he knew or those ART recommended– most were battle-related spells though some mundane or esoteric ones from the Potter Family Grimoire were slipped in from time to time.

His main goal was to up his casting speed and to minimize the wand movements until he could just visualize the spell and cast it nonverbally with just a flick or a point of his wand without resorting to the full capabilities of his staff.

When a spell was mastered using his wand, Harry would switch to wandless casting; and after that, mimic the effects using sorcery through the theories behind the spell. The latter wasn't easy but he made it his goal to ensure that his magic and sorcery were equal in all aspects.

The whole day Sunday was either spent reading potion-related texts or brewing potions inside his trunk. He wanted to be proficient in known potions, learning the do's and don'ts of the art through experience; and once he achieved a certain mastery in the subject, he would then start applying his knowledge in modifying potions or create new ones.

Harry also took time to continue his studies Computer Programming to complete his muggle education. He mostly focused on acquiring information on programming languages, especially those that dealt in computer-based hardware since it was within his field of interest. His Technomancer friends, especially Ian Drake, were quite helpful in this regard, sending him useful notes and eBooks on the subject via email.

He didn't continue with Engineering though since he lacked the materials for study. He noticed that reading books wasn't enough and some lessons were quite hard to understand. He made a special point to enroll in some classes soon just to get some headway over the subject.

His non-Academic projects were slowed a bit due to the lack of time but Harry had no problems with it. He didn't have a deadline with his projects, preferring to take things slow so he concentrated his efforts on freeing his godfather as soon as possible.

He wanted to free Sirius legally since he didn't want his godfather to live his life on the run. Thanks to ART and his father's journal, he compiled a list of evidences, as well as wizarding laws to help his godfather out. He could've offered his memories since Aurors were known to use Pensieve memories as evidence but he didn't want to show his hand as of yet.

At his current pace, he would be able to meet with Madam Bones this coming summer to present his case though he would have to set up a discreet appointment with her to avoid showing his hands to people he didn't want to be in the know (cough Dumbledore cough). He just wished that Fudge wouldn't muck up the works since the man had a tendency to be stupid in his actions.

Speaking of Fudge, Griphook sent him a few books on Wizarding Laws, especially those concerning his Wizengamot. Despite being an emancipated and an adult, he wouldn't be able to take the Potter Seat until he reached the age of majority at 17. He wasn't that excited with the prospect since after he read the book, he started hating politics with a passion.

Most of his experiments were placed in the backburner but he did continue with the study of Arithmancy and Ancient Runes to complete his AI system. ART was doing quite well but there was plenty of room for improvement. He knew that these two subjects would be tackled next year but if he studied now then he would have plenty of time to go over other items when he took up these subjects in next year.

* * *

Classes ended early and Harry was on his way back to his dorm for a well-deserved rest. Tomorrow was the weekend so he planned to do no studying for two days and just relax. He greeted a few Gryffindors as he walked through the corridor on the way to Ravenclaw Tower and answered the riddle Rowena Ravenclaw gave him before he was granted entrance.

He didn't bother to say hello to the students in the common room since they were deep into their reading. One thing that all Ravenclaws had in common was being oblivious to their surroundings when faced with an interesting book.

When he got to his room, he was treated to a weird, yet humorous sight.

In front of him were three house elves and seven pixies in a royal rumble of sorts.

Harry recognized Bubua and Floppy but the third elf he didn't know. He conjured a bucket of popcorn and sat on a conjured seat, feeding himself with the delicious morsel as he watched the fight in front of him. It was when Bubua clothes-lined the unknown elf that the fighters noticed his presence.

"Go Bubua!" Harry cheered as he threw popcorns into the air. The fighting stopped and Harry's excitement dropped. "Aw, why did you guys stop? It was getting good too!"

It was the distraction the two Potter elves needed. They immediately rounded on the unknown elf, bound the little thing with conjured ropes, a blindfold, and a sock stuffed into its mouth. From the looks of it, one of his elves did something to the wards in the room since the prisoner didn't pop out to get away.

"Master Harry sir. This elf be stealing your mail!" exclaimed Floppy before snapping her fingers to banish the popcorns on the floor. The pixies were now on Harry's shoulder and lap, enjoying a piece of popcorn each.

Harry raised an eyebrow. It would seem he found the culprit that stole his mail.

"Really now. Any idea who this elf belongs to?" asked Harry curiously. He wasn't angry at the stolen mail since his friends told him what they wrote but still it rankled him a bit that his correspondence were being stolen. He suspected Dumbledore at first but it would seem that it was someone else.

"No, sir. I came in to deliver a letter from Mister Paddy and saw this elf about to steal the letter from the table. I fought him I did and Floppy came in to help. Your little friends helped too." Bubua added the last part as an afterthought causing the pixies to puff their little chests in pride.

"Well, thank you, my friends." said Harry as he tapped the pixie softly on the head with his finger causing said pixie to giggle. "Now, let's find out who this elf is, shall we?"

Harry waved his hand causing the blindfold and then sock to disappear. The elf's eyes were wide in awe.

"Harry Potter is definitely a powerful wizard to do wandless magic." the elf exclaimed in awe. "Harry Potter has powerful friends too."

"Why thank you…er, what's your name, little one?" asked Harry gently. He didn't want to hurt an elf especially if it was coerced into doing something against its wishes.

"Harry Potter is a kind wizard, asking me my name and treating me like an equal." the elf exclaimed with tears in his eyes. "I be Dobby, Harry Potter sir."

"Welcome to my room, Dobby, and happy to meet you." Harry said with a smile before it turned into a frown. "Now tell me, Dobby, why did you steal my mail?"

"Dobby stole your mail so you won't return to Hogwarts. There be great danger here, Harry Potter sir, so you need to go home where you will be safe."

"I see, judging from what you did, I would assume that you stole my mail so I would think that my friends no longer care for me and I would be hesitant in returning, is that correct?" said Harry before propping up his hand on the arm rest of his chair and leaning his chin against it.

"Wow! Harry Potter is not only powerful but he is smart as well."

"Thank you again for the compliment. Now, I think it would be useless to ask who your master is or what the plot against my life entails since I know the elf bond wouldn't allow you that act of betrayal. So let me try another way." said Harry as he sent a mental probe into the elf's mind.

This was the first time he tried using his sorcery, especially telepathy, on a magical creature and it was definitely disconcerting. He felt a feeble barrier in place that he was able to bypass with ease without hurting the elf. However, finding the right memory was somewhat difficult, since like muggles, they had unorganized minds. Thankfully, the questions he asked earlier made the memories stand out like a sore thumb so he dove into it with a relish. It took two minutes to get the answers he needed.

"I see. Dobby is a Malfoy elf and he overheard his master plotting my death, as well as some muggleborns in Hogwarts using a magical artifact, a diary to be exact, and the Chamber of Secrets. Interesting…" Harry mused causing Dobby to widen his eyes in shock.

"How did you know, Harry Potter sir? Dobby didn't say anything!" Dobby said hysterically.

Harry sent a calming charm to the hysterical elf stopping the hysterics.

"Let's just say that I have ways to get information, Dobby." Harry said with a smile. "However, let me assure you that I know what your master is planning and I am quite happy that you are concerned for my welfare. However, I will not be leaving Hogwarts."

"But why, Harry Potter sir? You are in grave danger, you is!" Dobby screamed, tears falling down his face.

Harry sighed before standing up from his chair. He walked towards the crying elf and kneeled in front of the creature. He banished the bonds holding it in place and laid a hand on Dobby's shoulder.

"Thank you for your concern, Dobby, I can't in good conscience leave the school for my safety and leave my friends to their deaths. I can assure you, Dobby, that I can take care of myself. Now, go back to your master and don't say anything. I don't want to get you punished." Harry assured the elf with a smile before a thought occurred to him. "Does Draco or Lucius know that you are telling me of this?"

Dobby shook his head in negative while pulling on his ear nervously. If Harry didn't have a firm hand on the elf's shoulder, the little thing would have been pounding his head on the wall as punishment for this indirect betrayal.

"No, Harry Potter sir. Little Master not knowing Big Master's plans. They both not knowing that I came to warn the Great Harry Potter of Big Master's plan."

Harry nodded, happy that his blonde friend didn't betray him. Among other things, it was betrayal that he hated the most.

"Ah, I see. If that is the case then make sure that it stays that way. Now, you might want to go back to your master before they find you missing. I don't want you to get hurt. Alright?"

Dobby nodded and snapped his fingers causing a dozen or so letters to appear on his study table.

"I will, Harry Potter sir, and if you need help, please call Dobby immediately. Dobby will come to you if I hear something that will put you in danger. Bye, Harry Potter sir." Dobby said before popping out of the room.

"Well, that was weird." said Harry as he stood up and walked over to his study table before sorting the letters. Yep, these were his friend's letters alright, as well as those he wrote. "So, Bubua, what brings you here? You mentioned that Sirius has a letter for me?"

Bubua nodded before pulling out a letter from a pocket inside his shirt and levitated it to the table. He bowed low before popping out of the room.

"Hm, I wonder what Sirius is up to…" Harry mused before a frown made its way to his face when he remembered the elf's warning. "ART, are you there?"

"_Yes, sir."_

"Please check your databanks if you have any reference on the Chamber of Secrets, as well as enchanted diaries." said Harry to his AI. It was fortunate that he finished synching his laptop to his server back in his workshop in Diagon Alley so he could communicate with him and access important research materials without having to download everything.

"_Done. No reference on enchanted diaries, sir, though there are a few spells listed that may be used on a diary. The only reference to the Chamber of Secrets is in Hogwarts: A History. No concrete data regarding its location or anything inside except for a brief note that Salazar Slytherin raised a monster inside his secret chamber that would wreak havoc on the school once his heir releases it."_

Harry hummed absently as he played a game of point-chase-and-slap with a pixie - him doing the pointing with his finger and moving it around while his little pixie friend would try to slap it.

"Interesting. So far we have no concrete proof as to what the creature is because nothing happened as of yet." said Harry with a frown as he made himself comfortable on the high-back chair and read Sirius' letter. Nothing new, just asking for some new books on Charms and Transfiguration that he wanted to study since there was nothing better to do in prison than read books and practice spells. "Anyway, did Nick send the package?"

"_Yes, sir. You received an email from Griphook informing you that there is a shrunken trunk from the Flamels waiting for you in your vault. Do you want me to send a reply?"_ asked ART as he pulled up said email on the screen for Harry to read.

"Yes, tell him to keep it in my vault for now. I will work on that this coming summer since there is no rush. Any update on our current project?"

"_None at the moment, sir, though we might get a breakthrough of sorts if Nick sends the right books as reference." _said ART as the laptop screen showed a window where an email was being composed for the goblin account manager.

Harry nodded in agreement.

"Considering that Nick sent a trunk, I think there are books included with the original package." Harry pointed out. "Revise the email to Griphook and mention to check the trunk. If there are books then have it sent to my workshop via portkey, same coordinates. You can scan them from the worktable I assume?"

"_Yes, sir. As long as the books are within the walls of your workshop then I can scan them with ease."_

"Good, do that then. Compile a list of books on Advanced Transfiguration and Charms in the inventory to be sent to Sirius tomorrow." Harry said before standing up. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to take a bath."

"_Very good, sir. You are starting to smell from the downwind side."_

"Har har. I know that is a lie since my laptop doesn't have a sensor attached." Harry deadpanned.

"_I don't need a sensor to know, sir. After all, you do smell. Why do you think Floppy always commands you to take a bath."_

"Very funny, ART, very funny. You know she only does that because she is concerned of my hygiene." said Harry as he removed his clothes with a thought as he made his way to the bathroom for a relaxing bath. "Cheeky AI."

* * *

"ART, do you have anything on Magical Maturity?" asked Harry as he lounged around on his bed, levitating a few books and some random items in his room using sorcery for practice. He learned of the Magical Maturity when Blaise and Malfoy had a heated debate about it – who would be stronger after receiving their magical boost when they reached maturity. He didn't ask or voice out his thoughts on the subject, preferring to do his own research, as he listened to the two boasting about their magical power.

"_There are three books from the Flamels with information on Magical Maturity and similar subjects pertaining to Wizarding Laws, Magical Creature Laws, and Inheritance Laws. Anything specific you would like for me to look up, sir?"_

Harry thought about that for a few seconds before answering.

"Hm, give me a general overview of the subject. Relevant details only, ART."

"_As you wish, sir. To start, Magical Maturity is a pivotal stage in the growth of those with magic. Magical creatures, witches, and wizards all have to go through their own version of Magical Maturity upon reaching a certain age."_

Harry saw the screen change to show the different texts ART found on Magical Maturity. He didn't bother to read them since ART would be giving him the important details verbally. Besides, he was feeling a bit lazy and didn't want to get out of his comfortable bed.

"_Witches and Wizards gain a magical boost, an increase within 50% to 70% to their cores capability. For Magical Creatures, Magical Maturity entails acquiring new magical abilities or skills. For example, a dragon's breath becomes ten times deadlier when they reach their Magical Maturity at 20 years after hatching."_

"Interesting…when will a witch or a wizard reach their Magical Maturity?" Harry asked curiously, the subject was getting interesting since he himself would be undergoing such a phenomenon in the near future.

"_Witches and wizards reach their Magical Maturity at 17 and 18 respectively."_

"Isn't it weird that a witch and wizard differ when they'll receive their maturity?" Harry asked with a tilt of his head, trying to determine how it was logical. Sure, males and females have their differences but he didn't know that maturity was one of them – well, for a magical anyway.

"_Those questions were prevalent during the Dark Ages when Magic was considered to be in its infancy. According to one theorist, witches mature quickly than wizards in regards to the development of their magical core due to their reproductive system. After cross-referencing a few facts in my database, studies in Biology dictate that females do mature faster than their male counterparts."_

"Ah, you do have a point there. Despite having magic, witches and wizards are still humans so in terms of make-up, both are the same except for the inclusion of magic. What do witches and wizards get specifically when they reach the age of maturity, well, aside from the power boost anyway?"

"_In terms of magical ability, witches and wizards gain a boost in their overall magic upon the stroke of midnight on their 17th or 18th birthday. However, witches and wizards with magical creature blood in them are known to develop certain characteristics, both physical and magic, when they reach a certain age, mostly as young as 13 or 14 depending on how strong the magical creature blood is in their bodies."_

"What? Hold that thought. What do you mean witches and wizards with magical creature blood?" Harry asked with dumbfounded interest. This was definitely new, even to him.

"_According to the book, __**Magical Maturity: A Guide To Your Magical Growth by Archeus the Wise**__, some wizarding families have magical creature blood in them due to mating with a magical creature. For example, the most common are the Veelas since they are human-like in appearance. Cited examples also include Drackens, Sirens, Merfolks, and Vampires."_

Harry nodded as he made a mental note to search for books pertaining to magical creatures. He read all about magical creatures but none of those are classified as human.

"I see. Give me some example on what physical or magical traits a witch or wizard would get if they have magical creature blood in them."

"_The most common are the Veelas. Half or quarter-blood Veela all have their allure when they reach the age of 10. However, only half-blood Veelas can transform into their avian form and shoot fireballs using their magic. Quarter Veelas will acquire a form of affinity towards fire-type spells and were known to have increased control of FiendFyre though the latter is debatable since no experiments were done to prove this fact. Half-Vampires or Dhampirs as they are called would show bursts of accidental magic when they reach 10 years old until stabilizing enough to cast spells at 14. Witches or wizards with Dracken blood in them are known to develop Mage Sight, the ability to control the elements, and sometimes develop the physical characteristics of a Dracken, like fangs, claws, scales, and wings."_

Harry whistled. Those were amazing skill sets.

"Interesting. Hey, ART, you scanned the Potter Genealogy so…does my family have magical creature blood in them?" asked a very curious Harry.

"_Yes, sir. There are three magical creatures in your family but only two you are a direct descendant of."_

"What creatures are we talking about?" Harry asked wearily.

"_Dracken and Werewolf. The other one is Veela but that is in the other branch of the family tree through the second son of your Great-great grandfather when his youngest son married a half-Veela."_

That immediately brought Harry up short. When the topic came up, he suspected that he had a few magical creature blood in him since the Potters were ancient compared to other wizarding families. He, however, didn't know that he had such powerful creature blood in him.

"Well, damn! Is there a way to determine if these are active in me? I don't want to wake up one morning craving blood or find myself as a humanoid wolf." Harry asked hysterically.

"_If you would calm down, sir, you still have a year or two before it shows. Anyway, to answer your question, there is a test offered by Gringotts. It is called the Magical Creature Inheritance Test. As far as I can tell, it is a ritual of sorts unlike the others which only needs a few drops of blood on an enchanted parchment."_

Harry forced himself to calm down. If he did have active magical creature blood in him then it wouldn't activate in a year or two. He had time to prepare just in case.

"Fine. Can you send a message to Griphook. Tell him I would like to schedule for a Magical Creature Inheritance Test this Christmas. I need to find out if I'm going to change drastically for having those two bloods in me."

"_Very good, sir. I'm sending him an email as we speak."_

"Thanks, ART."

"_You're welcome, sir. I wish you good luck in the future whether you become a dracken or a werewolf."_ said ART with a smug undertone which soured Harry's mood. Trust his AI to make light of a serious situation.

"Har har. Very funny, Art. Very funny. You're a laugh." Harry growled.

"_I don't know what you mean, sir, but thank you for the compliment."_

Harry's eyes twitched in irritation. It was times like these that he regretted making ART. The AI was just too sarcastic for his own good.

* * *

It was during the Halloween Feast that Harry first experienced the threat that Dobby told him concerning the Chamber of Secrets. He was enjoying the feast when a loud scream of anger and sadness rang through the castle. The Headmaster immediately called everyone to relax and return to their dormitories guided by their Prefects,

Unfortunately, or fortunately in this case, the path to the Ravenclaw Tower required them to go through a certain corridor in the 2nd floor where the scream came from. Harry and his fellow Ravenclaws were treated to a sight of a crying Argus Filch in front of his cat that was hung from one of the torches by its tail. On the wall beside the cat were words written in blood.

_THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED._

_ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE_

Upon reading the message, Harry immediately blanketed the area with his mental probe to gather evidence to find out WHAT killed Filch's cat. He didn't get anything substantial but he found out two things.

One, Mrs. Norris, Filch's cat, wasn't dead. She was covered in a form of magic that petrified her. From the strength of the magic he was feeling, whoever caused the petrification was strong…very strong.

Two, there was a strong residue of magic in the area though it was slowly disappearing as the minutes passed. The residue hinted that whatever petrified the cat was big…very big if its emanations were still hanging around.

Harry was deep in thought as they were told to quickly go back to their dorm, his mind trying to piece the small clues he was able to gather to determine what the creature was and how to stop it.

* * *

Harry wasn't known to make mistakes. However, the day after the Mrs. Norris was left petrified, he definitely made one. He spent most of the night talking and researching with ART about the Chamber of Secrets. Thankfully, he was physically fit so two hours of sleep was enough for him to start the day in high spirits with a mug or three of coffee to pick up the slack. A vial of Pepper-Up helped too.

The mistake was in the form of Ronald Weasley. Harry forgot to place the keyed notice-me-not ward on himself to make him invisible to the redhead so he was quite surprised to turn around the corner to see said person coming his way.

"Harry, mate, I've been looking all over for you." bellowed Ron causing a lot of students to look at him curiously.

"Mr. Weasley," Harry said with a nod. It was too late to put up the ward so might as well get on with it. "What can I do for you?"

"Well, I was looking for you so we can start hanging out together. I mean, we are best mates after all." said Ron with a grin that made Harry frown.

"Tell me, Mr. Weasley," started Harry. "How long have we known each other?"

"Why ask me that? You already know that we have been mates since first year." shouted Ron ensuring that everyone in the area heard him.

Harry had this distinct impression that the boy was trying to convince himself, as well as everyone within earshot of that fact.

"Really, Mr. Weasley?" Harry urged with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, come on. I want to introduce you to my Gryffindor pals. They waited for so long for me to introduce you to them. I keep telling them that you're busy and all but it's the weekend, we can hang out the whole day." Ron said brightly as he grabbed Harry's wrist.

Harry looked at the hand before casting a wandless stinging hex at it through his skin. It had the desired effect since Weasley yelped in pain as he removed said appendage.

"What the bloody hell was that?" Ron asked as he massaged his hand.

"I don't know." Harry said with a tight smile before looking over Ron's shoulder. "Hey look, your best friends are looking for you."

Ron turned around immediately giving Harry time to cast a notice-me-not ward on himself. It definitely worked since Ron turned back just to look confused as to where Harry was. Said person was standing in front of him with a smirk on his face.

"Hey guys, did you know where Harry went?" asked Ron to the people in the corridor who was looking at him in disbelief.

Someone was about to answer but Harry shushed that person with a look. Said someone gulped before speaking.

"He walked away when you turned. He went that way." said a Hufflepuff third year while pointing at the opposite direction where Harry was walking to before grinning when Harry smiled at him in thanks.

"Oh, wonder why he's in a hurry?" asked a confused Ron before running to where the Hufflepuff pointed, to try to catch up to his best friend.

Harry gave nodded to the student who helped him before continuing on his way while whistling a merry tune, leaving the students who saw the whole thing to ask their peers as to what just happened.

* * *

It was a week after Halloween that Harry attended the Ravenclaw-Slytherin Quidditch Match. It was his first time to attend because he didn't watch any during his first year due to studies. This time, however, he decided to join with the spirit of things and show everyone that he supported his house in the popular sport.

Ravenclaw was in the lead and Harry was cheering with the rest of his peers when he stopped cold. A sudden surge of magic coming from somewhere on the other side of the pitch sent shivers down his spine. He could sense the magic there but there was another element that made him freeze in dread.

Someone in the stands was using magic that was almost similar to sorcery.

Several screams from the crowd alerted him before looking at the direction where some of the students were pointing. A rogue bludger dodged a swing from a Beater, which was quite weird since bludgers don't dodge, and coming straight for his position.

Harry instinctively knew that the bludger was after him and he was right too because the rogue ball would have crushed his skull if he didn't dodge to the side. The bludger hit the seat behind him with a thunderous crash and the noise under the stands meant that it was destroying the support beams underneath until it exited behind the stands, flew up through and air before changing direction and went straight for him again.

Harry flicked out his wand, waved it over his head clockwise before shouting a spell.

"_**Aegis Protectus!"**_

A shimmering silver disk of pure defensive magic appeared over his head and his classmates to protect them from the rogue bludger. The ball impacted the silver disk causing it to shudder before it was thrown into another direction. The bludger made a quick u-turn and went back for another attack. Harry flicked his wand and changed the direction of the shield, protecting them from the second salvo.

The young sorcerer felt his shield weakening since whatever magic or sorcery empowering the bludger also made it stronger. That and the fact the mobile shield spell wasn't designed to handle such a powerful physical attack. It was a minor shield with half the capability of a regular _Protego_ though, unlike the _Protego_, the _Aegis_ _Protectus_ spell was mobile; it could be moved to another direction using the wand to direct it and doesn't require much power to produce though it required a lot of focus to keep it active.

When the bludger was thrown away for the second time, Harry disengaged the shield as he noticed some of the students and professors trying to hit the ball with spells but it was either repelled or dodged.

Harry grimly gathered his magic and aimed his wand directly at the approaching threat and waited. He needed it to get closer so it wouldn't be able to dodge his attack. When the rogue bludger was 50 feet away, he immediately released his hold on his spell.

"_**Bombarda Maxima!"**_

The overpowered blasting hex came out of the tip of Harry's wand in a thick beam of blue light. Overcharging the spell also increased its speed so the bludger didn't have time to dodge the attack. The spell hit it straight on causing the impromptu projectile to explode into dusts. The explosion caused a slight shockwave and a loud boom to echo across the pitch.

The students, as well as some of the professors were staring at him with disbelief but Harry paid it no mind. With a grim expression on his face, Harry stared at the sky where the bludger was before it exploded. Someone just tried to kill him and he had this sneaky suspicion that the Heir who opened the Chamber of Secrets was the culprit.

Harry was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't notice the clamoring in the Gryffindor stands since one of the students fainted during the commotion.

* * *

**End of Chapter 19**

**Please leave a comment or a review. **

* * *

**Unique Spell Corner:**

**Aegis Protectus**

**Incantation: **_Aegis Protectus (e-gis pro-tek-tus)_

**Wand Movement: **wave wand clockwise in a circular pattern. The size of the shield would depend on how wide the caster wanted it to be when the wand is waved.

**Description: **A high-tier shield spell that can block spells or physical objects similar to a Protego. However, the Aegis Protectus is a unique case since instead of a dome, the shield appears in the form of a flat disk where it could be moved to any direction using the caster's wand. It can be easily described as a mobile shield spell.


	20. Chapter 20

**My schedule is still out of whack because of the project I'm working on. My boss decided that I would be staying here for two more weeks before I can go back home. *sigh***

**Anyway, enjoy chapter 20. **

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Belgariad. Give credit to where credit is due. **

* * *

**Chapter 20: Yule Plots**

Harry was making his way to the Headmaster's office after Professor Flitwick informed him that the Headmaster wanted to see him about his accommodations for Christmas. When the notice went up about the coming break, Harry immediately told his Head of House that he would be going back to the muggle world. It would seem that Dumbledore got wind of his plans and decided to interfere.

Harry was tempted to tell the diminutive professor to inform Dumbledore to shove it where the sun doesn't shine but he didn't want to tip his cards in the game to early. He knew that the old coot was on to him regarding his Lordship but he didn't know anything else so Harry was still in the game.

When he reached the gargoyle guarding the Headmaster's office, he frowned when he realized that his Head of House didn't inform him of the password. Not seeing any other option, Harry placed a hand on the head of the statue and channeled a bit of his sorcery into the enchantment to get the password. Thanks to practice, he could now easily 'hack' into any enchantment and determine how they worked so getting the current password was relatively easy.

"Chocolate frogs." Harry drawled though he was inwardly irritated that such an 'esteemed' wizard would think of using something as common as wizarding sweets to protect the sanctity of his office. He knew that Dumbledore was getting senile but this just takes the cake.

Harry watched the gargoyle jumped to the side revealing the spiral staircase leading to the top of the tower. He traversed the steps until he came to a door. He knocked and immediately went in when the Headmaster beckoned for him to enter.

"You wanted to see me, Headmaster?" Harry asked politely, using every shred of control he possessed to keep the hate out of his voice.

"Yes, my boy. Please take a seat." Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling merrily.

"Thank you, sir." said Harry before taking a seat in front of the aged wizard. "May I know what you wish to talk to me about?"

"Before that, Harry, may I offer you a Lemon Drop?" asked Dumbledore while indicating a tray of yellow candies on his desk. Harry look at it casually before shaking his head in negative though that didn't stop him from sending a probe at the harmless sweets. Harry almost frowned when he determined that the candy was laced with a mild calming draught and a truthfulness potion, the latter was just a step lower than Veritaserum in application. It would seem that the esteemed Headmaster was not without his little…push to get what he wanted.

"No thank you, sir. I already enjoyed some sweets I have in stock." Harry said with a fake smile.

"Ah, understood." said Dumbledore happily though Harry's passive probe revealed that the old coot was irritated. Harry couldn't help but grin inwardly for annoying the man.

"So, sir, what do you wish to talk to me about?" Harry urged. He didn't really want to prolong his stay in the office with the man around. He didn't know how long he would be able to stay in control of himself without lashing out.

"Two things actually." Dumbledore began. "First, how are you finding Hogwarts? As Headmaster, I make it a special point to interview the new students to determine if they have any problems with the new environment."

"_Ha! I've been here for a year now and you only now found the time to talk to me? Try another one, you old coot."_ Harry grouched mentally before speaking out loud. "I love it here, sir. There are just so many things to learn and do."

"Ah, a Ravenclaw through and through. You fit well in your house." Dumbledore said with a nod though Harry detected a miniscule twitch of the man's eyebrow. "And your classes?"

"I have no problems, sir. The professors are knowledgeable in their respective fields and they have kept my interest up in both theories and practical spell work." Harry answered amiably.

"Good good. Now, I heard from your Head of House that you are planning to go home for the Yule break?" Dumbledore asked intently.

"Yes, sir. I have plans for the summer and I need to be in the muggle world for that." Harry answered with a smile. He knew what was coming next and a confrontation was inevitable.

"I see. So you will be staying with your aunt then?" the Headmaster asked curiously, eyes intent.

"Hm, I might drop by on her if I feel like it but I'll be spending my Yule alone." Harry replied, trying to be as vague as possible. From the questions, it would seem that the Headmaster was fishing for information concerning his aunt's whereabouts.

"Such is the case then I would advise you to stay in the castle. It is not safe to be alone in the muggle world and Hogwarts is the safest place in the world." Dumbledore informed him with a grandfatherly smile on his face.

Harry's face grew thoughtful for a few seconds before turning into a cold mask.

"Hm, an interesting suggestion…but tell me Headmaster, is it a Headmaster's job to dictate what a student should be doing outside school?" Harry asked in a cold voice.

Dumbledore was taken aback by the sudden change in the boy in front of him. Gone was the happy-go-lucky intelligent Ravenclaw to be replaced by a cold mature teen. He needed to tread lightly if he wanted things to go his way without problems.

"No, it is not in a Headmaster's remit to be concerned with a student's well-being outside school. But considering your status, it is only normal for me to care for you, my boy." Dumbledore asked genially.

"I see. Let me ask you something, Headmaster, have you talked to Allan Wright regarding his return to the muggle world this coming Yule?" Harry asked suddenly. Allan Wright was a third year Ravenclaw who grew up in an orphanage. He didn't get adopted but he was able to attend school thanks to a scholarship reserved for orphans.

"Hm, Allan Wright, I believe that he is going home for the Yule. I see no problem with that." the Headmaster answered not knowing that he just walked in on a trap Harry set for him.

"_Gotcha, you old coot."_ Harry thought with a mental smirk. "Then tell me, Headmaster, why are you concerning yourself with my visit to the muggle world for this Yule when you don't care that Allan will be going back to the orphanage? From the looks of it, Headmaster, you are not doing what you said earlier. Tell me, Headmaster, why are you so adamant to let me stay in a castle where the Heir of Slytherin is currently slithering around and petrifying people. If this is your idea of safe then I shudder to think what you think as dangerous."

"Be that as it may, I suggest that you talk to your Head of House to revoke your leaving for the Yule and stay here in the castle for the coming break." Dumbledore said with a bit of force in his voice. Gone was the kind Headmaster to be replaced by a powerful figure he was known to be. Harry finally decided that it was time to take the kid's glove off. If the Headmaster wants to fight using power then he was going to get the same treatment.

Harry face grew even colder before releasing a presence of power that made the Headmaster flinch.

"I suggest that you stop trying to control me, Headmaster." said Harry coldly before raising his right hand and willing his family ring to show itself. He saw Dumbledore stare at it in shock. "As you can see, Headmaster Dumbledore, you don't have a say in things I do outside school. You might be the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot but you have nothing against a Lord of a Most Ancient and Most Noble House. As you can see, I already know about my legacy that YOU so kindly forgot to tell me. I know about the money you have taken from my vault and I know of the illegal marriage contract that you tried to place me under. I didn't attack you because it is not a good idea. However, it doesn't mean that I wouldn't. I'm just…postponing the inevitable."

"You're being unreasonable, Harry..."

"I am not Harry, Headmaster, nor am I a Mr. Potter to you." Harry interrupted the man. "If we are going to discuss things outside school then I suggest that you address me as my title dictates. For you Headmaster, I am Lord Potter."

Dumbledore couldn't help but shudder at the intense feeling he was getting from the young wizard in front of him. He knew that the boy was powerful but the smothering feeling blanketing the entire room was a testament that he clearly underestimated the boy.

"F-Forgive me, Lord Potter. I merely want…"

"You are not forgiven, Headmaster." Harry interrupted the man again. "Your wants or concerns are no interest to me. While in school, you are the Headmaster, the person in charge of my well-being and oversee my education. Even then, you don't dictate what I do as long as I follow the rules. Outside the castle, you have no say in my actions. What I do is up to me and none of your concern."

"You are going too far, Mr. Potter. That is no way to speak to someone of my station." Dumbledore exclaimed in anger as he stood up from his chair, his magical aura was leaking out him causing the office to shudder.

Harry looked at the man calmly before deciding to take this one step further. He released a bit of his control over his magic and mixed a bit of his Will into it. The effect was quite noticeable. A bright blue aura erupted around Harry's body and the room was immediately blanketed with a pressure that made Dumbledore stumble a bit before regaining himself, but not without effort, his aura being snuffed out by the stronger presence in the room. Even the former Headmasters were afraid while in the safety of their portraits. The windows were rattling, filling the room with its noise.

"You are mistaken, Dumbledore. You should watch who you're talking to. Yes, you may be the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot and the Supreme Mugwump of the ICW but these are mere titles of your 'profession'. You are nothing but a minor lord playing pretending to be a part of a founding house of Magical Britain. You don't know what I'm capable of, old man, and I suggest that you don't test me." Harry said coldly before standing up from his chair. To add to the intimidation, he increased the amount of magic and Will in the air causing the glass on the windows to crack. "I wonder what people would think if they found out that the Leader of the Light they hold in high regard is nothing more than a conniving old man who allowed muggles to abuse a child for the sake of turning him into a pawn for his own games?"

Dumbledore stiffened when he heard this. He knew what the boy was talking about. Harry saw the Headmaster's reaction and couldn't help but give the pale wizard a vengeful smirk.

"I see that you realized what I'm talking about. Trust me, old man, I know what you did and some of your…plans have come to light. One word from me and all of your dirty laundry would be on the Daily Prophet being circulated throughout Wizarding Britain in a blink of an eye. I warn you Dumbledore, one wrong move from you then I'll destroy everything that you worked for. When I'm done, the Dumbledores would be on the same rank as Voldemort. You are warned and I suggest that you keep that in mind."

With that, Harry reined in his magic causing the pressure in the room to disappear. Harry left the office but not before giving the shuddering Headmaster a nod.

* * *

Albus slumped down in his seat when the Harry left his office, taking the extreme magical pressure with him. He couldn't believe the immense power the boy had in his arsenal. He knew that Harry Potter was a prodigy in magic with power to back it up, but he didn't know that it was to this extent already. The power the boy released was tightly controlled and there was more where it came from. He shuddered to think what would happen to his office if the boy released his full magical presence in such a confined space.

He was stumped. He didn't know what to do. The information Potter had over him would destroy everything he worked for – his name, his fortune, the respect, and finally, the prestige. Not only was the boy a powerhouse when it came to magic, the last Potter was also a force to be reckoned with in the economic and political arena. He knew that the threats were genuine and the boy would certainly deliver if he was pushed too far.

Albus sighed. All of his carefully laid plans were starting to fall apart; actually, they were already ruined beyond repair. He needed to come up with something new to control the Potter boy. His Greater Good demands nothing less.

* * *

Lucius Malfoy took a sip of his favorite wine as he pondered the latest news his son, Draco, sent him through the mail. It would seem that his plot to cause chaos was bearing fruit though he had to make a face when the first victim was that damnable cat of the Hogwarts caretaker instead of anyone of note.

His current plot was to discredit Arthur Weasley since the man had upped the raid on his manor in search of his stash of dark artifacts. To make things work, Lucius decided to unleash the Dark Magic of the Dark Lord's diary at Hogwarts to implicate Arthur Weasley. The man had to be brought down a peg or two, not that he needed to be anywhere lower considering the state his family was in, because of the various raids the man did on Malfoy Manor to try to find traces of dark artifacts – not that he would find his horde, of course.

However, he had an ulterior motive in using the Dark Lord's artifact for this plot and that was Harry James Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, the cause of his Lord's downfall during the First Wizarding War.

He tasked his son to spy on Potter considering that he was one of his closest friends and his son definitely came through.

According to Draco's letters, as well as the rumors spreading through the grapevine, the young Potter heir was a force to be reckoned with. Not only was the boy a prodigy in magic, Harry Potter was also powerful if the stellar description of the Hogwarts professors was anything to go by.

Heck, even Snape who hated anything involving a Potter, praised the boy.

Lucius knew that Potter was going to be a threat when his master returns so that cemented his decision to push through with the plan with hope that Potter was going to be one of the casualties.

After all, it was only fitting that an artifact belonging to the Dark Lord destroys his nemesis.

A grin made its way to his face as he fantasized receiving the news of the young Potter's death in the hands of the creature that Salazar Slytherin bred to cleanse the taint of mudbloods in prestigious Hogwarts.

Lucius took another sip before giving out a mad cackle of delight, not aware of the large beady eyes watching him from the darkness of his study.

* * *

The spirit of a teenage Tom Riddle was silently fuming inside his vessel. The essence of young Lord Voldemort was swearing up a storm that his entrance as the Heir of Slytherin in the school resulted in getting a cat petrified.

Out of all things for Slytherin's monster to attack, why does it have to be a cat? The caretaker was fair game and there were plenty of students around, so why in the world did it target the cat. At most, he was hoping for a student or maybe a house elf or two; but no, the stupid thing targeted a feline instead.

What's worst, instead of the creature's gaze killing the target, it only left them petrified. It was infuriating.

Another source of young Riddle's annoyance was the girl using his diary. Why couldn't he be given to a powerful wizard with redeeming qualities or a magical talent or two? No, he was instead given to a crush-driven girl whose sole ambition was to get her prince charming – Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived. The girl was barely passing her classes, spending most of her time daydreaming and writing to him.

Ah, yes, Harry Potter, another sore point to add to his growing list.

After a careful conversation with the girl, he was able to determine what happened to his older self. It was unbelievable for a 15-month old baby to block the Killing Curse and offing the Dark Lord in the process. Tom Riddle surmised that there was more involved in the story than the miraculous survival of the child. It was quite possible that Potter's parents did some esoteric, yet powerful defensive magic that protected their firstborn from the un-blockable death curse, which was a feat in itself.

Not only that, his scheme to give Potter a death-by-bludger was thwarted when the boy showed mastery over his magic - conjuring a mobile shield charm unknown to him, as well as pulling out enough power to vaporize the enhanced bludger with a single spell.

It would seem that the boy had power, a power that he himself didn't have then he was of the same age. Such was the case, he needed to get rid of Potter and soon before finding his larger self.

The essence of Tom Riddle reached out of the diary and tried to find his…friend. He cursed since the girl was asleep, dreaming who knows what though he could guess WHO she was dreaming of. He withdrew his probe for later.

Oh well, there's always tomorrow. He needed to make sure that his hold on the girl was absolute since he needed to get rid of the roosters the half-giant was raising behind his hut in the grounds. After all, what was the use of unleashing a deadly monster if a crow of a rooster could kill it in its tracks?

* * *

Amelia Bones, the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, was rubbing her temple as she started to get a headache after reading the letter again for the fifth time.

She received a letter from Harry Potter and she was surprised that the Boy-Who-Lived wrote to her. However, when he read the content of the letter, she couldn't help but feel a migraine forming.

Harry Potter wrote in his letter about the illegal incarceration of Sirius Black. She was quite surprised to learn that Black was Potter's godfather. If that was the case then there was no way Black would betray the Potters since his oaths would kill him on the spot.

She couldn't help but give credit to the boy since the letter was filled with various evidences, theories, and cited laws as to why Sirius Black should be brought out of Azkaban to be given a trial. After reading the letter, she immediately left her office and made a beeline towards the records room to get to the bottom of things.

After searching for two hours, Amelia Bones returned to her office, her face red with anger. She didn't find any of the trial transcripts related to Black's case. In fact, there was no record of any legal proceedings concerning Sirius Black. From what she could gather, it seemed like Sirius Black was picked up from the crime scene and tossed immediately into a cell in Azkaban without so much as a by-your-leave.

She was about to storm out of her office towards Azkaban to get black out when she remembered a part of the letter.

"_Madam, it is imperative that you keep this a secret. Considering how my godfather was tossed into Azkaban, we can be sure that there are certain people in the higher-ups working against him. If we are going to be open about this then you can be assured that they will do everything in their power to stop you. I think we both know how…ugly politics could be."_

Amelia couldn't help but give the boy some credit. What he wrote was the truth. After the fall of Voldemort, Death Eaters were given a trial. Those who resided and passed judgment were now in the higher echelons of society, namely Cornelius Fudge, Albus Dumbledore, Bartemius Crouch, and more. If she made a move in public then they would do everything in their power to silence her.

She pulled out a bottle of Firewhiskey she kept around in case she suffered from frayed nerves. She took a sip, not bothering with a glass, before taking out a piece of paper and started writing on it.

If she wanted to get Black out then she needed to be discreet and the plans Harry Potter detailed in his letter was as good as any to follow, even if it came from a 12 year old boy.

* * *

Harry spun to his left to dodge a stunner before spinning his staff to block another one coming from his right. He channeled a bit of magic into his muscles and started dancing around the barrage of spells he sensed coming his way. Left, right, jump, crouch, swerve, block – all the spells were dodged and he was about to slam the butt of his staff on the floor to create a shield when a gong announced the end of the simulation.

"_You have improved, sir. You have dodged 63 spells and blocked 37."_

"What's was my previous record?" asked Harry as he conjured a towel and let go of his staff to float beside him, wiping the sweat on his face and neck as he exited the training room in his flat in Diagon Alley.

"_52 and 48, sir."_

"Nice, definitely an improvement then." said Harry happily.

It has been two weeks into the Christmas vacation that he was able to integrate the magic-based battery Nick created for him into ART's server. It was a resounding success and further testing showed that giving ART access to a steady supply of manipulable magical energy gave the AI certain capabilities that he could not have expected.

For starters, ART could now manipulate the magical energy available to him through the scanners to cast a limited number of spells. However, it would seem that the scanners weren't capable of handling mid-to-high energy output so ART was limited to simple spells, like the levitation charm, stunners, a very weak Reducto, and the likes.

However, it was quite fortunate that this new addition to the AI gave it a much-needed boost in its scanning capabilities, giving the AI the ability to use the scanners in the workshop to scan outside the walls and a few meters away from it.

In connection to this, Harry made it a point to install a few scanners in the magical alley, specifically placed according to the range of each device, giving the young sorcerer great intel if he ever needed one.

ART was practically giddy at the thought of having a bigger area to play with and gather information and forced his creator to add a few more servers for more processing power and storage space.

When it was done, ART took advantage of his scanner's range to scan the books available to him, which includes HALF of Flourish and Blotts, and other shops that within the confines of the scanner's reach. Harry had to force himself to think that he wasn't stealing since the items were still there.

Also, the enchantment on the magical battery gave ART a sort of free will similar to magical portraits, giving the AI a more human-like countenance that baffled Harry to no end. The young sorcerer theorized that the magic interacted with the AI's coding in a way, thus turning him into a real-life magical portrait with all the usual provisos and then some.

Because of this, Harry, with the help of Floppy, created a room in the workshop for dodge practice since ART could now cast spells. Harry installed quite a few scanners in the room connected to ART so the AI could fire spells at him in any direction.

In which case, Harry would stand in the middle of the room, in the middle of a large circle painted on the floor, where he would attempt to dodge or block spells fired at random.

At first, ART was able to floor him after a few dozen spells but as Harry grew proficient in detecting magic, he could now somewhat sense magic, as well as relying on his physical senses to either dodge the spells or block them with his staff. Harry aimed to increase his reflexes and speed that would greatly compliment his dueling since he was lacking in the practical side of using magic against an opponent.

"So ART, any new info regarding our research on the monster in the Chamber of Secrets?" asked Harry as he seated himself in front of the main terminal of ART's core. A HUD immediately appeared floating in front of him with the information.

"_As you can see, sir, there are only a few magical creatures that can induce petrification. However, none of these can be found in England or so rare that it is quite impossible for them to be found at Hogwarts."_ ART reported.

Harry shrugged as he used his finger to pick out a particular creature on the list to view an image and its respective information.

"Gorgon? Nope, only found in an island in Greece and they never venture out this far." Harry said as he shuddered at the picture of the ugly Gorgon in front of him. "Cockatrice is a good possibility but according here, Cockatrice doesn't have big of a magical presence similar to what I felt when Mrs. Norris was petrified."

"_Indeed, sir, petrification of that magnitude without actually turning the target to stone is quite rare though there is a theory that I was able to dig up from one of the rare magical creature books in your collection."_

"What is it?" Harry asked curiously. A new entry was highlighted on the HUD which Harry immediately tapped with his finger to bring out the information. What Harry saw scared him. "A basilisk? But they don't petrify. Looking at one in the eye means instant death, similar to the Killing Curse."

"_It does, sir, but according to the book, it is said that indirectly looking into the eye of a basilisk may cause other effects and it is quite possible that petrification is one of them."_

"Uh huh, that is definitely a good theory to start with and it fits perfectly with Salazar Slytherin's profile. After all, it is only normal for a parseltongue to use a snake as a pet." Harry mused.

"_Well, you are a parseltongue and you have an owl as a pet."_ ART pointed out.

"I may be a parseltongue, ART, but that doesn't mean I am partial to snakes. Sure, I like them but not to the point of taking one in as a pet. They are a good conversationalist that's all." Harry said with a shrug. "Anyway, continue with the research and how is the other one coming along?"

"_The Bracelet Scanner is indeed a feasible idea, sir. However, there are no known spells that would allow you to connect it to me to access."_

"Oh, about that, I was thinking of re-creating the Protean Charm."

"_It is plausible, but not advisable. The Protean Charm is not active unless magic is used to turn on the spell, but more on the idea of an alert-based enchantment. If you do intend to use that charm on the bracelet then it might be necessary to devise a way to translate the information from the charmed object into the server for assimilation."_ ART informed him. Harry rolled his eyes.

"I think you need to have your microphones checked, ART. I didn't say that I was going to use the Protean Charm. I said that I plan on _recreating_ the Protean Charm."

"_My microphones are working perfectly, sir, so no check is necessary."_ ART said with an annoyed undertone_. "However, recreating the Protean Charm might take a while considering that you require a thorough grounding in both Ancient Runes and Arithmancy to pull it off."_ said ART as a new HUD appeared displaying the complex formula of the Protean Charm.

"I know that." said Harry with a huff. "I didn't say that I want to finish the Bracelet Scanner immediately. If I want it to work right then I need to prepare for it. Anyway, list down any Arithmancy books we have on stock."

"_Very good, sir."_ ART said, opening a new HUD above the first one displaying the list of Arithmancy books in his expanded library. _"There are a total of 69 Arithmancy books in stock though most of them are basic and theoretical concepts. I also took the liberty of including a list of Ancient Runes books for your perusal."_

"Thanks, ART." said Harry before standing up. "I'm going to go buy some owl treats for Hedwig since I'm running low. Tell Floppy to prepare the first five books in the list on both subjects. I'll read them when I get back. Also, prepare a list of supplies I need for the study of those two subjects. I want to have everything on hand when I do get started on those two."

"_As you wish, sir. Happy shopping."_

"Yeah yeah." said Harry as he walked towards the hidden door but paused when a thought occurred to him. "Make a note for me to brew a batch of Restoration Draughts a few days before I go back to school."

"_And why would you do that? As far as my inventory is concerned, you still have five of them in stock."_ ART queried. Harry's face grew grim.

"Considering that the basilisk is still on the loose, it is quite possible that more petrification will occur. I want to be ready if it does happen to my friends."

"_I see. I will have Floppy prepare the necessary ingredients and have her prep the potions compartment in your trunk for this task, sir."_

"Thanks, ART. Well, I'm off." said Harry before exiting his workshop.

* * *

Harry was carefully adding the diced mandrake roots into the potion he was brewing when ART's spoke through the speakers.

"_Sir, there is a letter delivered by an unknown owl. It is currently on your work table."_

"Who's it from?" Harry asked immediately while giving the potion the required stir.

"_Scanning…scanning complete. It is from Amelia Bones, sir."_

Harry paused in mid-stir upon mention of the Head of the DMLE's name. He immediately cast a stasis charm on the cauldron so he wouldn't have to do it all over again.

"Bring up a HUD of it would you please." Harry asked as he made his way to his work table. A HUD appeared in front of him containing the scanned letter. "Hm, she wants to meet with me tomorrow. Interesting, ART, is there any place in Diagon Alley where I can meet with her without an audience."

"_None, though I would suggest that you book a private parlor in the Leaky Cauldron for it. You can give Amelia Bones the time and place of the meeting so she could come without arousing suspicions."_

"Thanks for the suggestion." Harry said with a nod before noticing the lack of white in his workshop. "Any idea where Hedwig is?"

"_She left roughly 3 hours 10 minutes and 42 seconds ago, sir. Whereabouts unknown, I don't speak owl after all."_

"Har har. You're a laugh." said Harry sarcastically before changing course back to his brewing potion. "Inform me when she's back, would you please."

"_Will do, sir."_

* * *

**End of chapter 20. **

**Please leave a comment or a review. **


	21. Chapter 21

**For those who asked, HUD is Heads-Up Display. Normally, an HUD is like an overhead projector but most sci-fi flicks features a floating/hologram-type HUD which I'm in love with. If you're confused, imagine JARVIS of Ironman.**

**Also, I would like to thank those Reviewers who pointed out flaws in the story. They are corrected.  
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**Regarding the timeline, please keep in mind that this is fiction. Anything goes even if the technology is out of bounds. ^_^ ku ku ku ku.  
**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Belgariad. Give credit to where credit is due. **

* * *

**Chapter 21: Meeting Bones and Ritual**

Harry pulled up the hood of his cloak before entering Knockturn Alley. He heard quite a lot of rumors about the place from the shoppers and residents of Diagon - a dark alley frequented by Dark wizards, creatures, and all sorts of things shunned by the light. Normal witches and wizards steer away from the place and even Aurors fear to frequent the place outside their patrol shift.

Harry's experience with Knockturn Alley was brief; his first time was to purchase Floppy and nothing else. This time, however, he had a mission and he wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty if necessary.

The reason for his foray into the Dark Alley was because of the prompting of ART to expand his scanning range. Harry was reluctant at first since but he gave in immediately when ART pointed out that Knockturn had bookshops that catered to rare magical fields, especially magic banned by the Ministry.

At the prospect of knowledge, Harry immediately agreed and started working on the scanners he would need to populate every inch of the place. He didn't know how many he would need but he decided to make as many as possible with his limited time.

Because of this project, Harry had to acquire quite a lot of muggle electronics, especially wires that would connect the scanner to ART's server in the workshop. He didn't worry about the cost since he had plenty of money to spare and the total cost of this project didn't even dent the interest he was earning from the various investments in his portfolio.

The mission sounded easy but Harry decided to take the careful approach and made necessary preparations to ensure that this project wouldn't come back and bite him in the ass.

For starters, he had to learn to heavily enchant the items to make them magically undetectable and invisible to the naked eye. The scanners and communication wires were heavily enchanted with cloaking and magic dampening spells, as well as his runes to keep it powered using ambient magical energy.

Due to the size of the place, and the limited time he had before going back to Hogwarts, Harry decided to simply place scanners targeting specific shops for ART. But first, he needed to know which shops to target hence the scouting mission.

His first stop was Borgins and Burkes, a well-known curio shop for those interested in the shady side of magic. Harry wasn't worried about anyone recognizing him because he placed a rare glamour charm ART pointed out to him from one of Flamel's books on the hood of his cloak, making his face unrecognizable and unremarkable. They could see his face just fine if he pulled up his hood a bit but they wouldn't be able to register, much less remember it.

Upon entering the shop, Harry was immediately greeted by a man oozing with dark magic though Harry thought it as normal since the shop was practically filled to the brim with dark objects. Harry wasn't worried about the taint of the items latching on to him since Dark Magic only prey to those who crave power and with a weak mind. He was neither of the two, thank you very much.

After a short greeting which the shopkeeper replied with a grunt, Harry perused the selections in the shop and couldn't help but marvel at the number of rare tomes available for sale. He recognized some of the titles and was quite surprised that the Ministry didn't close the shop down though it was quite possible that the owner would have a connection in the government to keep his little shop open without fearing the Aurors. Harry knew that Galleons exchanged hands quite often just to ignore the shop's existence.

Harry decided to buy a few books so as not to arouse suspicion. He purchased a book on the treatises of Dark Magic, as well as some book with shady rituals that he didn't plan on doing though it was a good research material if nothing else.

After a brief haggling, Harry left the shop 75 Galleons lighter. The two books he bought were quite expensive but Harry didn't balk at the price. He simply haggled so he wouldn't stand out as a rich bloke for easy pickings. He was in a dark alley after all and he had no desire to get mugged even if he could protect himself.

His next stop was a second-hand curio shop that was quite different from what he would expect considering its location. The interior was bright and welcoming, the shopkeeper polite and informative. Harry spent two hours in the shop and couldn't help but marvel at the number of books there.

Unlike those in Flourish and Blotts, as well as Borgins and Burkes, the second-hand shop sold books pawned off by their owners. Books on Light, Dark, and Gray magic were in abundance and quite a lot of them were very rare if the authors were an indication. Harry couldn't help but drool as he perused the titles.

Because of the kind shopkeeper, Harry made a special point NOT to rob the man blind by simply scanning their books with ART. Instead, he bought ALL the interesting books he found. He ended up buying 53 books and it was thanks to his bottomless book bag that he was able to carry them back to his workshop.

Harry decided to visit the place later for the non-book items since he wanted to get started on his reading, especially one book on an ancient communication charms that would be quite useful in customizing his scanners. If it works then he would do away with wires, allowing ART to connect to the scanners wirelessly if needed.

* * *

Harry was pouring his entire focus on a set of Arithmancy formulas from a book he purchased from the second-hand shop.

The communication charm, though archaic, was quite complicated and casting it requires a thorough understanding in Ancient Runes, Enchanting, Spell Crafting, and a dash of Arithmancy thrown in for good measure. Thankfully, ART lightened the workload immensely so he devoted his time to coming up with a workable schematics in upgrading the scanner.

"ART, have you analyzed the Arithmancy formulas in all the books?" asked Harry absentmindedly while adding a few numbers on the computation. No matter how much he tried to make sense out of it, he couldn't get the numbers to work together before he could incorporate the completed enchantment into the scanner. It was maddening.

"_Yes, all the Arithmancy formulas, both theoretical and proven, are now assimilated into my coding."_

"Good. Did you scan the numeric pattern on the communication charm?" Harry asked immediately, putting down the pen before massaging his temple. He had worked on the stupid thing for three hours now and he wasn't making any headway. Sure, he could have let ART do it but he was stubborn in trying his hand at it first. No matter how much of a prodigy he was, ART was faster in terms of processing numbers.

"_I did, sir."_

"Did you break it down into its base form?" Harry queried his digital partner.

"_Yes, the communication charm works on the theory of Base Thirteen if it helps."_

Harry had to stop himself from palming his face. He forgot that Arithmancy mainly worked in three base numbers – three, seven, and thirteen – all powerful numbers. He was stupid enough to go muggle with the formula so it was quite obvious that it didn't make sense.

"Damn, wasted three hours trying to make sense out of it." Harry said with a sigh. "ART, cross-reference the formula with other communication-type spells and enchantment. Analyze the Arithmancy formulas and break them down according to purpose. Make sure you bring up a HUD for each one to be analyzed. Store separately in a different file for future use."

"_Understood, sir. Pulling up relevant references and initiating translation module. Estimate time of completion, 7 hours." _ART reported as various HUDs appeared all over the room, each showing an Arithmancy formula being broken down. _"Sir, if I may ask, why do you need to utilize other communication charms for this project?"_

"I knew you would be asking that." Harry said with a smile. "The answer is quite simple, ART. The communication charm is quite ancient and it had plenty of limitations on it that made it impractical for the scanner. However, as far as I can tell, its strong point is its flexibility of use unlike the communication charm today that is mostly applied to mirrors and other reflective surfaces. My aim is to find a common ground in all the communication charms, break it down to see how they work, modify it when needed, and integrate it into the scanner."

"_Ah, I see. Quite an ingenious plan, sir."_

"Thanks, ART." Harry said with a grin. "Pull up the formula for the Protean Charm would you? I have a feeling that it would fit well with the rune work for the communication charm for active and passive information relay."

"_Right away, sir."_

A HUD appeared in front of Harry displaying the formula for the Protean Charm. Harry started breaking it down into their specific parts to see how it worked, putting each one on a separate HUD along with their respective formula. If he translated the numbers right, the Protean Charm acts as a linking system from one object to another. The base numbers of the charm was also open-ended, making it easy to integrate with other spells to add purpose to the link. If he could somehow isolate the linking ability of the charm and integrate it into the communication charm, it was quite possible to relay information between the scanner and the server almost instantaneously. The only problem was how to combine them in base form since he didn't need ALL the Protean Charm's function.

"Hm, interesting." Harry mumbled to himself as he studied the base formula for the link. "ART, pull up the information on numeric to rune translation from Nick's notes."

Another HUD appeared displaying the information he needed. Harry started translating the numbers into its runic equivalent. It was half an hour later that he ended up with seven runes for the linking system. All he needed to do now was to come up with a matrix to put them together, ending in a rune set.

"_Sir, you have an incoming video conference from Griphook."_ ART reported.

"Huh? Oh, patch him through please." Harry said, looking up from his work. It was rare for the goblin to use video conference as communication, more comfortable in using a mobile phone or owls. He turned on his revolving chair until he was in front of his laptop just in time for Griphook's face to appear.

"Good evening, Griphook." Harry greeted. "It's rare for you to give me a call at this time of the evening."

"_**I know, Harry, but what I have for you can't wait."**_

"Sure, what do you have for me?" Harry asked curiously.

"_**Well, to start things off, I followed your instructions to dig up financial records during the First Wizarding War. You're assumptions were correct. Large amounts of money were being thrown around but the two of the three you mentioned were glaringly obvious."**_

"Ooh, give me the details." Harry said with a grin. "This would make a great bargaining chip for my meeting with Madam Bones."

"_**Indeed. Here, let me send you the email now."**_

Harry opened his mail program and hit the refresh button. It was a few seconds later that Griphook's email appeared in his inbox. He opened it up and was astounded at the amount of information the goblin provided for him.

"Wow. I knew that the Ministry was corrupt but I didn't know that it was this bad." Harry said in disgust. "From the looks of it, quite a lot of money was deposited into Fudge and Crouch's account though I'm quite surprised that Dumbledore didn't join the festivities. Any idea why that is?"

"_**Well, considering that he wasn't the one handling the trial, he was merely an observer if nothing else so he didn't need to be bribed."**_

"Uh huh, quite surprising if you ask me though I shouldn't be since Dumbledore didn't really steal that much money from me despite how much he had at his disposal." Harry mused before he saw an entry that sparked his interest. "I see here that Malfoy was quite…open with his money during his trial. From the looks of it, Narcissa Malfoy was doing the withdrawals and transfer into Fudge's vault."

"_**That should be quite obvious, Harry. He did plead Imperius and was able to get out of jail time. We all know that it was not enough to get him out and money greased the wheels, so to speak." **_

"Politicians, got to love them." Harry quipped before copying the information into a file before deleting the email. "Anyway, have you finished encoding all the Potter's financial records into the application I sent you?"

"_**I'm done with most of it. Give me two days then I'll have all of it finished."**_

"Great. I want to assimilate the information into ART so I can just get the information from him anytime I need it. It would have been easier if I can install a scanner in your office but considering that I have to use wires to do that, it is not a good idea right now." Harry said with a grimace. Goblins were quite paranoid as a race so proposing the idea of setting up scanners in one of their offices would be immediately denied point blank without debate. "Are we making headway with the business I plan to set up?"

"_**Not at the moment, Harry. You can easily afford them but in order to create the business venture you planned out, we need to make sure that it is red-tape free so the Ministry won't shut you down."**_

"Point. Well, I'm not in a hurry anyway so take all the time you need though you might want to check out other countries to set up shop in. I know that America is quite accepting with such ventures. Anyway, how goes the investments? Anything stands out that I should know about?"

"_**Not at the moment, no, though there is a proposal from one of the companies regarding a new muggle invention that you might want to look into."**_

"Oh? Do you have the details?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow.

"_**I do. Let me send it to you."**_

Harry refreshed his inbox again and saw the email. He opened it up and couldn't help but whistle in appreciation after reading the proposal.

"A data pad huh? Interesting. Don't we have stocks in Macintosh?"

"_**No we don't but one of the stockholders there is a Squib and is a...an acquaintance of mine. He forwarded this to me in hopes to get more funding for its production."**_

Harry nodded in understanding. It was a sound business strategy to look for an investor to fund a project. It would save the company millions, as well as ensuring they wouldn't go bankrupt just in case the investment goes down the drain. He was not an expert in business or economics but he knew enough to understand the basics and come up with a well-oiled strategy.

"Hm, this is a fine piece of technology and I certainly want to give it a try. Tell you what, divert the needed funds to this friend of yours with the condition that we get a sample of the finished product. If it is to my liking then I will definitely invest in their company. Is that satisfactory?"

"_**It's workable. They are asking for a 5,000,000 US Dollar budget. We can easily provide that amount but returns would take some time. This is a risky venture. Are you sure you want to dabble?"**_

"Let me see, how much do I earn a year from my investments alone?" Harry asked after a moment digesting the information.

"_**You earn roughly around 3,200,000 British Pounds a year."**_

"So in other words, if the investment with Macintosh drops, the money would still be returned in one and a half year. Not that risky if you ask me. Sure, we will lose a bit of money but nothing ventured, nothing gained." Harry said with a shrug. "So, go ahead and release the funds. When can we expect to see this data pad of theirs?"

"_**I will include that in the communiqué when I talk to him. I will schedule an appointment next week. I will send you a recording of the meeting if you can give me one of those scanners you have for the laptop."**_

"I'll send you one in the morning with Hedwig. I'll also include an instruction manual just in case."

"_**Thanks. Well, that's it for now. If you have need of my services, feel free to drop a line, so to speak."**_

"Will do, Griphook and you're welcome. Anyway, bye for now." said Harry before ending the call. "That was interesting. ART, please access my mail program and assimilate the information Griphook provided for future use. While you're at it, pull up Project Sirius and Project Downfall; print out all the details so I can bring it with me when I meet with Madam Bones in two days."

"_Way head of you, sir. I also took a note of Griphook's request for a scanner. I will inform Floppy in the morning to send Hedwig off with the package."_

"Thanks, ART. Now, let's get back to work. Pull up an HUD with the information on Rune Matrix Theory please." Harry said before turning on his chair to his work table. He wasn't sleepy so might as well use it in a productive way than doing nothing.

* * *

Harry entered the Leaky Cauldron with an expectant air around him. Some of the patrons sent him smiles and waves of greeting which he returned with a few of his own. He was getting well-known in the alley, made quite a few friend and acquaintances with the populace. It would seem that their view of the Boy-Who-Lived was slowly changing as they started to treat him like a regular boy instead of a hero. Harry relished the feeling since he didn't like the attention all that much.

He made his way to Tom who was currently polishing a mug behind his counter.

"Good afternoon, Tom." Harry greeted the barman. "Has my guest arrived?"

"She is in Private Parlor 12, Mr. Potter." Tom nodded with a grin on his face. Harry gave the man a tired look.

"Tom, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Harry?"

"Too many times to count, lad." Tom said with a smirk before making a shooing gesture. "Now off you go, the privacy charm you placed in advance yesterday is still up and running, checked it this morning I did. Just make sure that you take it down before you leave, alright?"

"Sure sure. Thanks, Tom." said Harry with a nod before dropping a few Galleons on the countertop which the barman immediately scooped up with a smirk.

Harry walked up to the second floor and made his way to the indicated private room. He knocked twice before entering. He saw a woman reading the day's issue of the Daily Prophet.

"Madam Bones, I presume?" asked Harry as he approached the witch who stood up immediately upon his entrance. He closed the door behind him, sensing the wards going up again, sealing the room from eavesdroppers.

"Indeed I am, Mr. Potter. I was quite surprised at the letter you sent me and thank you for accepting my invitation. Shall we get down to business then?" said Bones with a serious expression on her face that Harry couldn't help but nod in approval. This woman was all business and he liked it.

"Please and call me Harry. I'm not into formalities."

"I will if you give me the same courtesy, call me Amelia."

Harry smiled and nodded.

"Amelia it is then." said Harry. "Have you had a chance to peruse the letter I sent you?"

"I did. But before we go into that, I would like to know how you came by the information. I hope you don't take this the wrong way but it is rare for a 12-year old to amass this kind of information even if said 12-year old is considered a prodigy." Amelia said with a frown while watching Harry like a hawk.

Harry grimaced. .

"I really hate it when people label me as a prodigy." Harry said with a frown.

"You mean to say that you aren't?" Amelia asked with a bit of challenge in her voice. Harry couldn't help but liken it to how Professor Snape challenged him when he mentioned being a prodigy during their first meeting

"Yes, I am intelligent but I don't like being labeled. As I told my professors back at Hogwarts, anyone can be intelligent. All they needed to do is apply themselves with determination and dedication." Harry said firmly. "I think we can drop this line of thinking and really get down to business. To answer your first question, I am more than just a 12-year old, Amelia."

"How so?" the Head of the DMLE asked curiously.

"How many 12-year olds have you encountered who is a Lord of a Most Ancient and Noble House, an emancipated minor, and with access to a great deal of resources that money can buy?" Harry asked rhetorically, surprising the witch in front of him. To prove his point, he raised his right hand and removed the invisibility on his ring.

"You're emancipated?" Amelia asked in surprise. Now this was new. "Why isn't this public knowledge considering your status?"

"Indeed I am, madam. Since I was 9 years old to be exact thanks to the preparation my father did before he was murdered. It is not publicized because I prefer it that way. Emancipation is quite rare in the Wizarding World, more so with one of my status so I kept it hushed up, so to speak." Harry said coolly. "Now, to continue, I know all about what happened to my godfather, Sirius Black. At first, I was livid when I learned from my research that the person who was supposed to raise me was the reason my family was dead. However, after perusing many of the magical laws of the land and the records of the First Wizarding War, I was able to deduce that Sirius is not at fault here."

"You are correct there, Mr…Harry." Amelia said, catching herself at the last minute. "I went through all the facts you presented and it pushed me to start my own research. In fact, I visited the records room and I couldn't find any transcript of a trial concerning Sirius Black. Meaning…"

Harry's face turned grim as he continued the woman's line of thought.

"Meaning that my godfather was thrown in jail by the court without so much as a by your leave, which is a breach in protocol since my godfather is also the heir, or if I'm not mistaken, the current Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black." Harry said grimly causing Amelia to nod.

"Agreed. However, I would like to ask why you don't want to push for your godfather's trial considering that you have all the evidence that would prove the court wrong. I understand your concern but taking the long way might be hazardous to Sirius' health." Amelia asked. Harry nodded before explaining himself.

"True, Sirius in Azkaban is definitely hazardous." Harry lied, knowing that his godfather was enjoying his stay in the wizarding prison thanks to his interference. "However, I'd rather have my godfather suffering than dead."

Amelia looked at Harry sharply.

"What do you mean?"

Harry didn't say anything but merely pulled out a manila envelope from his bag and handed it to Amelia who took it and checked out its contents. He could see the woman's eyes grow wide in shock and disbelief at what she was reading.

"I think it would be safe to say that bringing out a trial now would practically kill Sirius. We are not dealing with minor officials here, Amelia. As you can see, Fudge and Crouch hold quite a position in the government and if they learn that you are bringing out one of their secrets, then this would result in you getting acquainted with some assassins or my godfather would 'mysteriously' disappear from his prison, both I don't want to happen."

"How did you get this?" Amelia asked in a strained voice. Her hands were shaking as she read the documents in front of her. She knew that the young Potter was correct. If these evidences do get revealed to the public then heads will definitely roll, hers being one of them.

"Let's just say that I have…friends who have access to things that people don't want others to know. As I said, if we are going to get Sirius out of Azkaban then it is necessary to be discreet about it." Harry said with a smirk, knowing that he already had the woman in his camp. Aside from the physical reaction, a brief mind probe revealed that the woman was disgusted at what she was reading.

"Some friends you have, Harry." Amelia said with a sigh. "I need a drink."

"Let me take care of that for you." Harry offered. "Floppy…"

Floppy appeared with a pop.

"What you be needing, master?" asked Floppy, slipping into public-mode as Harry dubbed it.

"Please get Amelia here a bottle of Firewhiskey and a Butterbeer for me. Some snacks wouldn't be amiss either." said Harry with a smile.

"Right away, master." Floppy said before popping out to return a few seconds later carrying the orders. After placing it on the table, she popped out leaving the two to their own devices.

Harry opened his bottle of Butterbeer and took a sip while keeping an eye on the woman in front of him. He was amazed at how Amelia forced down three shots of Firewhiskey without pause. She was definitely bothered by the revelation.

"So, Harry, care to share to me your plans on how we are going to proceed with getting your godfather out? Considering you brought this up with me, I daresay that the ball is in your court, as the muggle quote goes." Amelia asked. It was quite hard to associate the person in front of her as a boy. He was definitely mature and his intelligence was definitely the real deal. For the first time in her life, Amelia found herself in front of a superior despite the age.

"Well, we can't really move in the open with this if we value our lives but we can work around it slowly until such time that we can strike safely." Harry started. "First, do you have influence on the dementors in Azkaban?"

"I don't but I can work around it. The warden there is a friend of mine and I can easily have him shift the guard schedule. From what you're saying, you want me to minimize your godfather's exposure to the Azkaban guards?"

Harry nodded with a smile. Amelia Bones was definitely a sharp cookie.

"Indeed. If you can do so then I would be eternally grateful." Harry said though he didn't really need to ask that since Sirius had a trunk and a potion to get rid of the dementor's…annoying presence. However, she didn't need to know that. "Second, I will be spending some time gather as much evidence as I could and I suggest that you do the same. The evidence we have now can be used in a solid case but it is not enough with the opponents we have."

"If I may suggest, I would like to get the media in on this." Amelia quipped suddenly causing Harry to raise an eyebrow.

"Please tell me your reasoning? From how I read the Daily Prophet, they are more of a gossip rag than actual news." Harry pointed out, not bothering to hide his disgust at how the wizarding paper operate.

Amelia gave Harry a knowing smile.

"That may be the case, Harry, but you need to keep in mind that gossips are mostly based on facts, just written out of proportion. That is one of the reasons why I read the paper. Even if the facts are convoluted to the point of idiocy, it still points out that something is wrong or the event did happen." Amelia explained.

Harry thought about it and couldn't help but agree. He didn't realize it like that before.

"You do have a point there. So what you're saying is you want to plant the seed of doubt in the minds of the populace using the gossip rag and work our way from there?" Harry asked with a bit of skepticism.

"Correct. I will use my contacts in the Ministry to…spread the word, so to speak. Not hardcore facts but rumors but along the same line. I'm sure that the Prophet would pick it up immediately and would start the ball rolling."

"Ah, brilliant, quite brilliant." Harry said with a grin. He made a mental note to look into his investments thoroughly to see if his family had a hand in the Prophet. If he does then it would be a big help in how he wanted the news to be brought out. Now he only had a few matters he needed to discuss. He pulled out a box from his bag and placed it on the table. "Now that is out of the way, let's talk about communication. I don't like to send out my owl since she is quite noticeable and would cause some questions to be asked if she became a frequent visitor in your office. Do you by chance know how to use a mobile phone?"

Amelia took the box and opened it to see a black contraption and a small booklet under it. She looked up to give Harry a questioning frown.

"Not familiar, I take it?" Harry said with a chuckle. "That is what we call a mobile phone. It is a muggle invention that allows instant communication between two parties. If you want to be technical about it, you can think of it as a portable floo that allows voice communication only."

"Please correct me if I'm wrong, Harry, but muggle technology doesn't work on magical. As far as I'm concerned, they blow up upon first contact on anything remotely magical." Amelia pointed out while checking out the black phone in her hand.

"That is quite true but if you look closely at the underside of the phone, you will see some runes there indicating that the phone is modified to work around magic."

"How is that possible? No such runes exists." Amelia exclaimed in surprise upon seeing the complex rune matrix embedded on the item. She couldn't make a hide or hair of the set and didn't know what it could do.

"True, no such rune exist in public but it does exist. I created the runes myself since I use similar devices for my muggle education."

Amelia gave Harry a look of disbelief.

"You created this? Impossible." Amelia explained. "Also, you do know, Harry, that enchanting muggle items is against the law."

"Yes, I didn't create it and no. the law states that a muggle item cannot be enchanted to work outside how it's supposed to work. Like pranking teapots for example, that is illegal. Enchanting a muggle technology to work around magic while retaining its original purpose is NOT illegal." Harry said with a grin.

"For a 12 year old boy, you sure know your laws, Harry." Amelia deadpanned.

"Let's just say that I'm quite different from your stereotypical 12 year old." Harry rebutted, grin not leaving his face.

"So how does this work?" Amelia said with a sigh. She hated talking to intelligent people. They were adept in finding loopholes.

"The runes at the back of the phone shield the item from magic frying its inner working. It absorbs ambient magic and converts it to electricity to power the phone. It is also enchanted to have unlimited air time – uh, unlimited floo powder to compare – so you can use it without worries. Instructions are there on the booklet. My number, as well as my goblin account manager is already saved in the phonebook. If you need to reach one of us, don't hesitate to give us a call or send a text message."

"Text message?" Amelia asked tiredly. She was seriously out of her depth here.

"Just read the instruction manual and practice." Harry said with a smirk causing the woman to look at him sourly.

* * *

Harry spent his Christmas with the Flamels, enjoying a quiet dinner with the immortal couple and relishing the company. If Harry was honest with himself, he quite liked the feeling. He received a note from Draco inviting him to a Malfoy Christmas Party but he declined since he didn't want to be in the same vicinity as the man who wanted to kill him. He sent back a polite reply indicating that he already had plans for Christmas and he couldn't get out of it. He already received gifts from his friends and sent them theirs using the owl service in Diagon Alley so he was free of any responsibilities outside his studies.

"So Harry, how is the battery working out?" asked Nick while taking a sip of his wine with his wife doing the same. Harry was content with his Butterbeer.

"It worked perfectly, Nick, though I daresay that it caused quite a few welcome side-effects that we didn't think of." Harry admitted with a shrug.

"Side-effects?" Nick asked, leaning forward in both interest and curiosity.

"Aye. After installing the battery and linking it with ART, he became something similar to a wizarding portrait. It also boosted his processing power and interaction with any devices attached to him without the magic fighting with the magical energy running through his circuits. I was surprised when access to magical energy allowed ART to cast minor spells as well. So far, I'm putting it to good use in the creation of a training room for dodging and blocking practice."

"Amazing. I didn't expect for that to happen." Nick admitted with a rueful smile on his face.

"Neither did I but it was a welcome one." Harry said with a grin. "How did you like the laptop I sent you?"

Harry sent the Flamels their very own laptop with a mild version of ART. He was still ironing out the works on his AI so making one for the Flamels wasn't a good idea at this point in time. He also added a scanner for good measure so he could get a lot of use out of the gift.

"It was practically brilliant, Harry, and a welcome gift. It helped a great deal in my studies and it beats the hell out of checking out different books one by one. All I need to do is let the AI do the search and it will show me everything in an organized window, as well as where the book is found. A Librarian would practically cream themselves if they have access to your invention." Nick crowed in delight. He spent two days having fun with his new toys and couldn't deny that it was a big help in his studies.

Harry gave the man a smile.

"Glad you like it. I hope you forgive me for not giving you something similar to ART since I'm still ironing out the works. When all the problems are found and fixed then I will upgrade your laptop with something similar." Harry offered.

"That would be most welcome but I'm happy with what I have now. I studied a bit about computers so I plan to expand its capabilities, like a bigger screen for example." Nick admitted with a happy grin. Penny couldn't help but roll her eyes and mouthed something that sounded like 'boys and their toys'.

"Well, you can always install your own magical battery into the laptop so it would be capable of creating a HUD so you don't need to put in monitors in your study. In fact, I'll send you a few scanners to attach to the laptop, as well as instructions on how I integrated the magical battery into it to get your started." Harry supplied with a huge grin on his face.

"That is an interesting idea though you might want to hold on to that. The Philosopher's Stone is currently recharging since I just made a batch of Elixir for my wife and I. If you're able, maybe you can send me a dozen or so scanners in the summer, as well as some instructions on how to attach it to my laptop?"

"Sure sure. That would be my pleasure."

"So, what's your current project?" asked Nick with undisguised interest.

Harry leaned back on his chair to make himself comfortable before answering.

"I'm looking for a communication charm of sorts or any enchantment that would eliminate the use of wires for sending and receiving information. If I can find or come up with something that works then ART would be more useful since he could interface with any scanners within range."

"Hm, how is your research coming so far?"

"To be honest, Nick, it's too slow for my liking. I'm playing around with a Protean Charm along with communication charms. From what I got so far, the Protean Charm would serve as the linker of the enchantment but I can't come up with an alternative for the communication charms to send and receive information."

"I see. I think I have a few books on similar subjects around here. I'll send you a copy as soon as I find it." Nick offered while running through a mental list of books he had in his collection that would help the boy.

"Much appreciated, kind sir." Harry said cheekily. "Now, do you think it is possible to commission another battery from you?"

Harry had to laugh at the incredulous look on the ancient Alchemist's face.

* * *

Harry had a neutral expression on his face as he made his way to the Gringotts for his Magical Creature Inheritance Test. It was re-scheduled to a day before leaving for Hogwarts since there was an emergency use for the ritual chamber when a dozen of the bank's Curse Breakers had to be exorcised when a ghost of an Egyptian Pharaoh cursed the lot of them. He received word from Griphook last night that the Goblin Sages were available for him, which caused him to start worrying. He wanted to find out what creature blood or bloods he had in him but he was a bit hesitant on how these bloods would change him.

Fortunately for Harry, Griphook was waiting for him in the foyer of the bank and immediately led him down to the ritual chamber which involved a short cart ride. He was led to a dimly lit cavern, the walls covered with various runes that Harry couldn't recognize. In the middle of the chamber was a ritual circle surrounded by more runes. Four goblins in dark green cloaks stood outside the circle, positioning themselves according to the main points of the compass – North, West, South, and East.

"Now, Harry, I doubt that you know anything about this ritual since this is a goblin-based ceremony so I will explain what will happen. Don't interrupt. You can ask any questions when I'm done. Understood?" Griphook asked with uncharacteristic seriousness in his tone.

Harry gulped before nodding nervously.

"Good. As I said, the Magical Creature Inheritance Test is a goblin-based ritual. The runic circle in the middle of this chamber will draw out any latent creature blood from your body, fully activating it so you wouldn't have to worry when your maturity comes along. Keep in mind that you will not display the effects immediately since it would take time for the abilities to manifest. The only thing I can guarantee you is that it will activate when you reach 14." explained Griphook before pointing at the wall on the western section of the chamber. "Now, if the magic of the circle detects a creature's blood, or in your case, potential multiple blood then it will be highlighted there. Each of those runes corresponds to a type of magical creature that mated with humans. Upon completion of the ritual, we will find out what manner of creature you are and what traits you will receive from them. Now do you have any questions?"

"Is it rare for witches or wizards to undergo this type of ritual?" asked Harry curiously. He spent almost the whole Christmas break doing research with ART and they couldn't find any information about the test. Thankfully, the AI helped a lot with the research so he had plenty of time to deal with his project.

"Yes. Keep in mind, Harry, that Wizarding Britain is ruled by pureblood bigots. They are quite afraid to find out that they have creatures blood in them, making them impure in their own eyes. Thus, they shy away from taking the test." Griphook answered slyly.

"If that is the case then what would happen if their creature blood activates when they reach maturity?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow, interested in how these purebloods think about their own genetics. They were taking their pureblood ideology into the realm of fanaticism.

"They better pray that they're lucky that their physical characteristics wouldn't change. In most cases, they would get a boost in magic and some odd abilities if they're lucky. For example, the Longbottoms have mated with Dryads in the past and I think you already noticed that Longbottoms are accomplished Herbologists due to the Dryad's blood running through their veins."

"Ah, that explains Neville's green thumb then." Harry said with a nod. "So the reason why I didn't find any books about the test is because not many witches or wizards were keen in telling people that they'd undergone the ritual, correct?"

"Correct." Griphook nodded. He looked over to one of the cloaked goblins who flashed him a sign. "It is time, Harry. Now, I want you to get rid of your clothes. You're going to be naked for the ritual since clothes would put quite a bit of interference with the magic. The less clothing, the better though no clothing is preferred."

Harry shrugged and waved his hand over his person, banishing the clothes to one corner of the room far away from the ritual circle. He didn't bother to leave his boxers on since he wasn't really ashamed of his body. For a 12 year old, he was quite fit, thank you very much.

"Good." Griphook said with a nod of approval since the boy wasn't shy in showing what he had. Considering the boy's assets despite his age, he shouldn't be ashamed…ever. "Walk into the middle of the ritual circle and the sages will begin. Good luck."

"Thanks, Griphook." Harry said with a smile before stepping into the circle. He stopped directly in the middle and waiting for the sages to start.

Harry didn't have to wait long because the sages begun chanting in a language he didn't recognize. The chanting picked up speed and volume until the sages were now shouting it out. Harry could feel the magic build to a pressure as the chanting grew louder and he could feel it prickling his skin. The four goblins barked one final word of the chant for the ritual circle to flare to life.

Harry had to stop himself from screaming out in pain when tendrils of magic from the circle lashed out and cut at his skin on his chest, just above his heart, causing a deep wound. He saw a bit of his blood leave his body through the wound and absorbed by the circle. Beams of magical energy latched onto the open wounds and Harry could feel electricity running through his veins. He felt his magical core connect with the energy of the ritual, combining and assimilating with each other. Harry didn't know how long he stood there but he thought that was about to end when a surge of powerful magic flew out of the circle and surrounded him. This time, Harry couldn't help but scream out in pain as the magic flooded his body and mind. He didn't know how long he screamed but he definitely did one last time as the magic crashed down on him like a tidal wave before he blacked out.

* * *

**End of Chapter 21**

**Please leave a comment or a review.**


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Belgariad**

* * *

**Chapter 22: I'm A What?**

* * *

Harry woke up to someone pushing something against his lips. In his current state – dizzy and suffering from a powerful headache - he opened up his mouth to feel something, a thick liquid of sorts, filling his mouth. He then felt a calloused hand rubbed at his throat forcing him to relax and swallow. Harry shuddered at the taste but he thanked whatever gods or deities were listening as his headache started to go away. He opened his eyes and had to blink a few times to focus better. He saw Griphook's face looking down at him in concern.

"Harry? Are you alright?" asked Griphook, worry present in his voice.

"Ugh, I felt like a herd of unicorns ran over me. What happened?" Harry slurred. He shook his head to clear the cobwebs, noticing that his throbbing headache was now gone though his taste buds were on fire. "What in the world did you give me? It tastes horrible!"

Griphook grinned before slowly pulling at Harry to a sitting position.

"That was a concentrated dose of _Headache Relief Potion_. According to the healer, the usual stuff wouldn't even dent the headache you're feeling." the goblin explained with a wince.

"Alright. Remind me NOT to drink that…that…vile concoction ever again. That was just nasty." Harry said with a shudder, the taste of the potion still in his mouth. He waved his hand and conjured a glass of cold water. He grabbed the floating container and drank it all down in one go. He repeated it three more times before his tongue was no longer overwhelmed by the aftertaste. "Ugh, what I wouldn't do for a Butterbeer right now."

"I wouldn't suggest that. Butterbeer and the potion you drank would practically turn your stomach upside down. Give it an hour or two to disappear from your system before indulging yourself." Griphook advised with a grin.

"I'll try to remember that." Harry said dryly. "So, can you tell me what happened?"

"What was the last thing you remembered?" Griphook asked with a serious expression on his face.

"I remembered the ritual, the chant, the pain, and then the sensation of magic squeezing me; after that…nothing. I would appreciate it if you can tell me what happened after that." said Harry as he made himself comfortable in a sitting position. He looked around to finally notice that he was on a white bed in a place that looked like an infirmary if the musty smell was anything to go by. "Where am I anyway?"

"You're currently in a private infirmary inside Gringotts. Something happened when the ritual was about to end, causing you to black out. You were unconscious for three hours. Are you sure that you felt pain during and after the ritual?"

Harry nodded, worry written all over his face.

"Yes, I don't think I could ever forget the pain. From your question, I shouldn't have felt any?"

Griphook shook his head.

"No, in fact, you should only feel a prickling sensation and a bit of a sting when the ritual circle took some of your blood to analyze. Other than that, the ritual should have been pain-free. The sages were frantic when you started screaming but they couldn't end the ritual without causing you harm so they had no choice but to continue."

"That is definitely weird." Harry mused before a thought occurred to him. "How are the sages? Are they alright?"

Griphook gave Harry a nod and a smile. It was rare for a human to treat goblins as equals. It was…refreshing.

"They are alright though they are currently nervous at the possibility of causing you harm."

"Well, I feel alright and all my limbs are intact. Please reassure them that I'm alright, please?" Harry urged. Griphook nodded.

"I will do so. Are you ready for the results of the ritual?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." Harry said with a shrug though the interest in his face faulted his nonchalant attitude.

Griphook nodded and pulled out a paper from his coat pocket and handed it over to the young sorcerer.

"I took the pleasure of having the sages make a written assessment of the ritual since you weren't awake at that time to see the results yourself. The runes indicating your creature inheritance would only glow for 5 minutes so that wouldn't work."

Harry curiously took the paper read the results of the ritual.

_**Magical Creature Inheritance Test**_

_**Subject: Harry James Potter**_

_**Status: Emancipated Minor – Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter. **_

_**Creature Blood(s): 2 detected (Passive and Active Blood)**_

_**Creature Type 1: Werewolf (Active)**_

_****Inherited From: Lucien Potter**_

_**Creature Type 2: Dracken (Passive)**_

_****Inherited From: Philip Draconus Potter**_

_**Creature Status: Hybrid Type**_

_**Abilities:**_

_****Active: Enhanced sight and smell, enhanced strength and reflexes, Lycan-type. **_

_****Passive: Physical traits will be activated during Magical Maturity (est. 14 years old) (undetermined), Tri-Elemental (Fire, Ice, Wind), Elemental Resistance (undetermined), Magic Boost (20% to core), Mage Sight. **_

"What the…" Harry said in shock. He couldn't believe what the paper was telling him. He looked at Griphook who was grinning madly. "C-can you explain this to me, Griphook?"

"Certainly, Harry." Griphook started with a nod. "Now, before anything else, the healers were able to determine why the ritual acted different on you was because of having more than one creature's blood in you heritage. In most cases, it is quite normal for a witch or wizard to have multiple creatures' blood but only one comes out after the ritual. The healer theorize that the two powerful blood in you fought against the ritual and pushed themselves to the fore. So in this case, you are a rare-type of wizard, Harry, a hybrid, a mixture of human, werewolf, and dracken blood."

"Great! Not only am I a sorcerer, I'm some freak of nature as well." Harry said with a sigh. He noticed Griphook's scowl when he said that. "What?"

"I disagree with what you said, Harry. You are NOT and never will be a freak. In fact, we goblins revere witches and wizards who have multiple creatures' blood in them considering that we are also magical creature ourselves. In fact, you can be considered a celebrity among the halls of Gringotts."

"You're kidding." Harry exclaimed incredulously.

"Kidding, I am not." Griphook rebutted with a smirk.

"Great. Not only do I have fan girl and fan boys at Hogwarts, now I have…fan goblins as well." Harry exclaimed with a shudder.

"I assure you, Harry, fan goblins, as you dubbed them, aren't as extreme as their human counterparts. They are more…reserve in showing their…affection." Griphook said with a smirk.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Harry accused his account manager.

"I don't know what you mean, Harry." Griphook replied with an innocent face. Too innocent.

"Fine." Harry said snidely before waving the paper he was holding. "Please continue, kind sir."

"You don't have to be snide, you know." Griphook chided the young hybrid.

"Try putting yourself in my shoes; let's see how you like it." Harry growled.

Griphook was silent for a moment, imaging fan goblins rushing to him madly proclaiming their love and affection. He shuddered.

"Quite, er…moving on." Griphook said with a gulp as the image stuck on his mind. The smirk that Harry gave him was smug. "Anyway, as a hybrid, your two non-human bloods assimilated themselves with your human blood, both working in tandem. In this case, the werewolf blood stood out from the fore since you're body is not suited for your dracken heritage yet. In this case, the abilities you gained from your werewolf blood are currently active while your dracken heritage works in the background, not fully active until you reach your age of maturity which is 14."

"I see," Harry mused. "What is a Lycan? I know of the muggle version of a Lycan which is another term of werewolf but what is its meaning in a magical standpoint."

"Noticed that have you? A Lycan is a rare breed of werewolf with the unique ability to change into their werewolf form without the aid of the full moon. Such is the case, you can consider your werewolf form as an animagus form, and you can switch between them with ease."

"Shite!"

"Language, young man."

"Sorry." Harry said before managing to compose himself. "Are you sure I'm a Lycan?"

"The test doesn't lie. In fact, let me call in the healer to explain everything to you." said Griphook before moving towards the door and talked to the goblin guard standing there. After a brief whispered conversation, the guard saluted before exiting the room. A minute later, the goblin guard returned with another goblin, a female if the bulge on the chest was of any indication, entered the room.

"So the patient is awake." the goblin healer said as she approached the bed. "Lord Potter, glad to see you're alright."

"Thank you. May I know your name, ma'am?" Harry asked respectfully. The healer looked shocked for a second before giving Griphook a grin.

"You're right about this one, Griphook. He is really something isn't he?" she said before turning to Harry. "My name is Alanna."

"Huh?" was all Harry's reaction. "I was expecting some names indicating a weapon or something similar to torture."

Alanna let out a soft laugh.

"Unlike our male counterparts, female goblins tend to stay in the background. The menfolk are the warriors while we women care for the household. Hence the unintimidating name." Alanna explained.

"Ah, point taken. Please call me Harry."

"Indeed. A rarity you are…Harry." Allan said with a nod. "Now, are you ready for the result of your physical?"

"As I told Griphook earlier, I'm ready as I'll ever be."

"Very well. Let me start with the physical results. You haven't noticed it yet but you changed physically after the ritual. You grew exact four inches putting you at 5'4. Your muscle and bone density increased, resulting in you gaining superhuman strength and speed. This also resulted in you gaining a lot of weight and bulking up a bit. Your sight and smell are enhanced to thrice its normal capacity. You also gained a bit of a magical boost, around 10% of your original core. I took the liberty of hitting you with a mild version of a magical index spell. Your current level is at 621 out of 1000."

Harry nodded dumbly, unable to voice out anything from the shock of the revelation.

"Now, being a Lycan, you have the ability to shift into your werewolf form like an animagus. From what Griphook told me, you can already shapeshift to different animal forms, correct?"

"Yes." Harry replied with a nod. "But I used sorcery to achieve that."

"Same thing." Alanna shrugged. "Anyway, I suggest that you find your animagus form through meditation. Unlike shapeshifting, animagus is a whole new process. You need to connect with the animal inside you, which in this case is a werewolf, and try to bring it out. I suggest that you take time in communing with your inner animal and get to know it better. Your aim is to dominate your animal or come to an understanding with it to gain complete control when you shift. However, you need to find a place to hole up for your first full moon which is…three weeks from now if my Astronomy is correct."

"Why is that?" Harry asked with some trepidation. Full moon and werewolf doesn't mix especially if it relates to him.

"According to Lycan lore, the first full moon upon activation of the blood would force the change. After that, you need not worry about changing at will since the change would allow your body to adapt to it. My advice is to meditate and commune with the creature inside you. This way, when the full moon changes you for the first time, you would have control over it."

Harry nodded, understanding the implication.

"I see." the young sorcerer quipped. "Oh would Wolfsbane Potion work? I read that it can subdue a werewolf's dementia. Would that work for me, just in case?"

"I suggest that you avoid Wolfsbane." Alanna said with a snort. "Unlike what wizards believe, Wolfsbane Potion doesn't control the wolf, it enslaves the creature by locking it deep within your mind upon ingestion of the concoction. This would only serve to enrage the wolf instead of calming it. This would have a detrimental effect on your change since enslaving such a powerful animagus form would only serve to anger it, making it harder to achieve control of the animal."

"Yikes." Harry said with a wince.

Alanna nodded, happy that the young Potter Lord had a good head to know the implication of her warning.

"Yikes indeed. Anyway, your dracken blood is in a dormant state until your maturity when you reach 14. However, some of the abilities are already assimilated by your magic, like being an Elemental for one. You will find it easy to cast fire, ice, and wind spells, as well as increasing your resistance to these elements. Keep in mind that these are a small portion of your heritage. All of these points would be boosted to their peak when you reach maturity. Regarding the increase of your magical core, I suggest that you take time to practice your spells to get your control back. The added power would make your control a bit sluggish until you acclimate yourself to it."

"Great. More work for me." Harry slumped. He might have to push some of his projects to the backburner since this was his priority now.

"I also found something…interesting when I scanned you for problems. Did you know that you have a Creature's Brand on you?" Alanna asked with a frown.

"A what?" Harry and Griphook shouted in unison, the former in question and the latter in shock.

"Let me explain. A Creature's Brand is a unique form of Light Magic protection that can only be given by the purest Light creature in the world – a unicorn. Such is the case, a Creature's Brand as powerful as the one you have ensures that no creature – both Light and Dark – would harm you. There were even cases that a Creature's Brand ensures a creature's obedience, following your orders within reason." Alanna explained with a bit of wonder in her voice. Griphook was looking at Harry as if he grew an extra head.

"Wow!" Harry said as he studied the runic band on his wrist. He didn't bother with it since it was given by a unicorn but knowing what it was now shocked him.

"Definitely a wow. I'm curious, how did you get the brand anyway? It is rare for a unicorn to bestow a human such a mark. The last person to receive it was roughly four hundred years ago if my memory serves me right." asked Alanna, curiosity in her voice.

"I healed a unicorn after it was attacked by Voldemort." Harry answered with a shrug.

"WHAT!" this time, it was Griphook and Alanna who shouted, both in disbelief and a bit of fear.

Harry nodded in affirmative before deciding to explain the encounter with the possessed professor in the Forbidden Forest during his first year.

"Uh yeah, Voldemort possessed my DADA professor last year. I later found out that he was the one killing the unicorns and drinking their blood to sustain his current form. Considering that he survived, I guess he is somewhere floating around." Harry said with a frown. He made a special point to study Voldemort since the idiot was still alive. He was a very big target for the Dark Lord in case he decided to attack. He made a special note to order some training dummies for spell practice.

"This is not good. The Dark Lord is alive! We must prepare at once!" Griphook exclaimed. Harry shook his head.

"Not yet, Griphook. Any activity outside your banking duties would surely catch Voldishort's notice. I suggest that we lie low for a while and study him. We need to know how he survived when he attacked me and killed my parents. If he is alive now then it is quite possible that he did something to stay that way. I wouldn't put it past him NOT to do that." Harry pointed out with a frown.

"Indeed though I have a theory HOW he survived." Griphook said with a growl.

"How?"

"The soul that was in your scar before its removal. We got rid of it before you even met Voldemort in your first year so he should be dead already since his anchor was destroyed. However, with him alive, it stands to reason that he made other anchors as well. The question is how many he made to sustain his immortality and where he hid them." Griphook said with disdain. Alanna was looking at the account manager with a bit of worry on her face. Harry sighed in defeat.

"Great. Not only would I have to deal with my creature inheritance, I have to find a way to off Voldy as well." Harry said with a sigh. He can never catch a break.

* * *

Harry left Gringotts after Alanna gave him a clean bill of health. He had to enlarge some of his clothes since it no longer fit him due to his recent growth spurt. Before he went home, he stopped by Madam Malkins to commission a whole new wardrobe. He wasn't worried about his muggle clothes since he or Floppy could just spell them to automatically resize to his body when needed. He couldn't do the same with his wizarding clothes cause of the latent enchantments, as well as the magic in the material. Any other spell after it was made just wouldn't stick.

Since it was still early, Harry decided buy books to help him with his inheritance.

First, he dropped by Flourish and Blotts to empty the place of all its books relating to medical magic, healing, and magical creatures. He knew that ART didn't scan them since the selections were beyond the scanner's reach. Besides, it was a good idea to have a hard copy of the books in ART's database in case of emergency. Mr. Blotts had a huge grin on his face when he rang up the purchase, totaling to 620 Galleons. Harry had to bring the entire purchase with him since his house was under Fidelius and owls not in on the secret wouldn't be able to get in.

With his purchases tucked safely inside his bottomless bag (he translocated it to him from his workshop since he didn't bring it along when he went to Gringotts), Harry apparated to a dark alley beside the mall. Since he wasn't accustomed to buying muggle books, he decided to do a bit of research first so he would know where to go. He stopped at a small café just outside the mall and used his laptop to scour the Web for any information on bookstores in the vicinity. He found a few and noted them down. He then checked out the address and how to get there since he couldn't apparate there without seeing the place or using the coordinates. Apparation by coordinates was very tricky and he didn't want to experiment without proper guidance.

It took him three hours to get all the medical books he needed, mostly on genetics, muggle healing methods, medical theories, and the likes. He ended up with four boxes of books from two different stores. He had to use his James Evanson persona since a 12 year old shouldn't be buying all those books or carrying large amounts of money. After shrinking all his purchases, he stored them inside his bag and used translocation this time to return to his home. Translocation was more draining than apparition, especially over long distances but it was quiet.

* * *

It was January 3 and Harry was up early since this was the day he would be returning to Hogwarts. He gave out a sleepy yawn before making his way to the bathroom for a shower. When he was done, he put on his new wizarding clothes before heading to his workshop. His trunk was already packed so he had nothing to worry about. If he did forget anything, Floppy would be able to get it for him.

"Good morning, ART, have you finished scanning all the books I bought?" asked Harry as he took a sip of his coffee that Floppy provided for him when he sat down. He still had three hours to kill before the train leaves so he wasn't in a hurry.

"_I did, sir. All the books have been scanned and added to my database."_ reported ART before pulling up a HUD in front of Harry listing all the books he purchased from Flourish and Blotts and in muggle London.

"Great. Did you do a full diagnostics on your protocols if you can do an in-depth medical scan?" Harry asked as he opened another HUD to list down the books he wanted to bring with him to school for light reading.

"_Diagnostics was finished as scheduled and I have indeed checked my programming. I was able to determine that medical scanning is within my range of expertise but more detailed scans require additional hardware or spells not in my database." _

"Give me a list, ART."

"_I can do a full medical scan using the diagnostic spells I assimilated from the books. However, blood work would require a more powerful scanning hardware and program to get full data."_ ART created a dozen HUDs showing different medical equipments he needed. _"As you can see, sir, these are the hardware needed for a comprehensive medical scan. However, it is quite possible to find a magical version of these items though the books you bought didn't include such details."_

"I see. I'll try to check Hogwarts Library if I can find more medical texts there." Harry mused. "ART, is the portable scanner attached to my laptop powerful enough to scan the entirety of Hogwarts Library?"

"_No, sir. The portable scanner's range is only 10 meters and it doesn't have enough power for faster scanning. With the floor plan I have of Hogwarts, I estimate ten months of 24 hour scanning to assimilate all the books in that location into my database."_

"Yikes." Harry winced. "I don't think I have that time to do that even if I ask Floppy to do it for me. Besides, I'm not familiar with the wards at school so it is quite possible that your presence might be detected by the Headmaster. I don't want to reveal you to anyone except the Flamels and Griphook."

"_Good decision, sir."_ said ART. _"Though it is quite possible to increase the capability of the scanners if each have their own magical battery like the ones you attached to the server."_

"I know that, ART, but the knowledge in enchanting a magical battery is unique to the Flamels. I don't want to impose too much on them to drain their Philosopher's Stone just to give me more batteries to work with." Harry said with a sigh before a thought occurred to him. "Tell me, ART, have you scanned the magical battery?"

"_No, I didn't. Do you want me to scan it for you, sir?"_

"Yes please." Harry said eagerly. "If what I think is true then it might be possible for us to create our own battery in the future. Can you integrate more powerful scanning spells into your schematics?"

"_It is quite possible but the more complex diagnostic spell require more magical energy. At the moment, the magical battery is at 90% power. The heavy drain was due to the continuous scanning of all 232 books you bought and integrating them into my database. Do you want me to experiment with the energy consumption of different spells, sir?"_

"Hm…that is a good idea, ART. Do so when I'm at school. Make sure that the battery doesn't go below 30%. How is the absorption of ambient magic?"

"_Absorption rate is at 1% per 2 hours."_

"I see. This means that we either give you more juice to work with or limit the usage to avoid powering down the equipments." Harry thought for a second. "Tell you what, change protocols to allocate power to scanners in Diagon and Knockturn Alley, make sure that all of them are operational though use them sparingly…20% should be enough."

"_Understood, sir. I will immediately incorporate the directives into my algorithms."_

"Great. Also try to experiment with more spells for the training room. Also, try to check your database if you can find the Arithmancy formulas of the Unforgivables."

"_Unforgivables, sir? Are you planning to modify them for your use?"_

"No way." Harry exclaimed. "I'm not going to use those three curses unless I have to. No, I want you to scan the equations to see if there is a way to find a defense around them. Those three curses are unblockable with current defensive spells. However, it might be possible to synthesize a new defensive spell that can at least block the Killing Curse outside Transfiguration and Conjuration."

"_Very good, sir. Pulling up required information. Scanning database for relevant data. Completion time…2 hours and 25 minutes."_

"No hurry with that, ART. I doubt Voldemort would be showing his ugly mug anytime soon. Let's turn this into a project. Create a file for this research with designation Unforgivable. Please send a copy of all data to my laptop as backup."

"_I will, sir. Do you want me to proceed using my new diagnostic spells to scan your body?"_ asked ART.

"Please, ART. I trust Alanna but it's a good idea to get all the facts before I start playing around with my new powers." Harry said with a nod. "Besides, it's a good test run on your new spells to see if they work or not."

"_Understood. Allocating power to scanners. Initiating scan now." _spoke ART as five scanners flew up from the table and started firing spells at Harry who felt the magic hit him but didn't do anything about it. Harry was a bit startled when a large HUD appeared beside him displaying the results of the spells.

"Wow. That was quick. How's the power drain?"

"_Current power at 77%, sir."_

"Wow. 23% drain. You definitely need new batteries or find a way to increase the absorption rate." Harry noted as he read the result of the diagnostic spells. He was impressed at the detail in which ART was able to gather information on his new physiology. The AI got it all, well, except for the blood work which was quite understandable. "Alright, ART, give me the summary from the ground up."

"_Diagnostic spells include both mental and physical. In terms of physical, it coincides with the healer's results. However, I detect a large boost in your body's immune system. Bone and muscle density are increased as well though this will require actual physical tests to determine exact improvements. Mental scan shows that your brain activity increased by 2%. Your capacity to retain and process information is still the same except for an increased activity in your frontal lobe, which according to magical medical texts, housed your ability to perceived threats."_

"Uh huh. Nice. So this means that the increased reflex heightened my sixth sense of sorts. That's quite welcome." Harry mused. "Anything else I should know about."

"_As the healer said, your had a magical boost but it is not allocated properly in your system. As it stands, more magical energy is directed to your bones and muscles, which may be the reason why your body is physically stronger than normal. Magical pathways are still the same so it is quite possible that your magical output would be sporadic until your pathways adapt to the boost in your magic. I suggest continuous practice using spells to widen the pathways to achieve perfect control." _

"Noted." Harry agreed. "Please store all the results of the diagnostics into a file for comparison with future scans. I still have two hours to spend before the train leaves so please bring up the project you are working on to see if I can tweak it a bit. Give me a heads up 30 minutes before the scheduled departure of Hogwarts Express."

"_I will, sir."_

* * *

Harry was trying so hard not to palm his face. He was getting looks from the people in the platform. Parents and students alike were staring at the large black wolf beside the Boy-Who-Lived.

Zieg, despite Harry's protest, decided to reveal himself to the world. In truth, Harry didn't mind showing off his friend and familiar but he could do without the stares, thank you very much. He was so tempted to put up a notice-me-not ward around the two of them but he knew that it wouldn't stick since they already saw his friend jump out of the shadow after he crossed the barrier to walk beside him.

"Uh…H-Harry."

Harry turned to see Neville standing a few feet away from him. The chubby Longbottom's eyes, however, were staring straight at Zieg.

"Oh, hi Nev. What's up?" greeted Harry though he inwardly winced at the potential questions he would have to answer when his other friends saw a Shadow Wolf beside him.

"What is that?" Neville managed to squeak out and stepped back when Zieg growled at the boy. Harry noticed that everyone stepped back when his friend growled, giving him plenty of room or to keep a reasonable distance between them and the dangerous-looking canine.

"Hush, Zieg." Harry chided his familiar who merely gave a huff and tugged at the corner of his robe, a clear sign to find a compartment so he could sleep. Zieg was lazy, preferring to sleep most of time unless in an emergency. He turned to Neville with a grin. "Neville, I want you to meet my friend and familiar Zieg. He's a _Sigbin_ from the Philippines though he is a Shadow Wolf. Zieg, meet Neville Longbottom."

Zieg eyed the chubby boy before huffing. Harry rolled his eyes.

"That translates to 'Nice to meet you'." Harry lied. What he got from his friend was actually along the line of 'Who cares?' though he didn't need to tell the boy that. Zieg tugged at his robe again. "Impatient bugger, aren't you. Why don't you go ahead to the last compartment and reserve the place for us."

Zieg huffed again before jumping into a shadow, disappearing from sight. Harry sent out a brief mental probe and sensed his familiar in his favorite compartment at the back of the train. He inwardly snickered at the possibility of his classmates entering said compartment to find a giant wolf sleeping.

"How did he do that?" Neville asked, eyes glued to the patch of shadow Zieg jumped into.

"Oh, that's his ability. He can use shadows to teleport. Quite handy if you ask me." Harry said with a shrug. "Now, shall we go? Zieg is already in our compartment so we better get there before Draco and the rest comes a knocking."

Neville could only nod before Harry grabbed him on the shoulder, leading him towards the back of the train to tuck themselves in before the train leave.

* * *

"Please tell me why you saw fit to reveal that you have a Shadow Wolf as a familiar with said Shadow Wolf sleeping on the floor in OUR compartment?" Pansy pointed out, her voice bordering on being hysterical.

"Calm down, Pans. Zieg is house broken." Harry said with a smile. His declaration went on deaf ears since Zieg let out a deep growl that scared the shit out of the Slytherins and some Gryffindors in the compartment.

"Call your familiar whatever you like, Harry, but house broken is definitely not one of them." Daphne said dryly, eyeing the dog nervously.

"Aw come one guys, he's harmless. Look at him, he's so cute!" Tracy declared before giving the surprised Zieg a scratch behind the ear, causing the rare Shadow Wolf to start moving his hind legs telling everyone that he was enjoying the girl's ministrations.

"You know, Greengrass, there is definitely something wrong with Tracy." Draco pointed out as he stared incredulously at the girl and the black canine on the floor of their compartment.

"Tell me about it." Daphne said with a roll of her eyes. "She is both crazy and suicidal. I don't know how she ended up in Slytherin. If I was the hat, I'd place her in Gryffindor."

"Why Gryffindor?" Harry asked curiously.

"Because Gryffindor is made up of people that are both crazy and suicidal. They go to places where angels fear to tread." Daphne said with a shrug.

"Hey!" Neville and Seamus protested.

"Present company not included, boys." Daphne corrected. "Harry definitely taught some of you lions some sense."

"I wouldn't go that far, Daph." Harry deadpanned. Daphne merely sniffed.

"I'm still right though." she quipped causing Harry to chuckle.

"Alright, enough with the houses already; tell me, Harry, why only now reveal that you have a familiar. Quite a lot of us thought that it was Hedwig." Pansy asked again.

Harry shrugged.

"Well, Hedwig is more of a friend, as well as a messenger. She has never been my familiar. We never bonded. Zieg, however, immediately bonded with me when I met him for the first time in the Philippines."

"Uh huh. Strange that you ended up meeting your destined animal companion in a place where English magical fear to tread. Philippines have an unsavory reputation among the magical populace. From what I heard from my mum, they are powerful practitioners of an ancient magic called Voodoo." Seamus pointed out.

"Well, I stayed with a hermit there for a few weeks and enjoyed my time." Harry informed the group before remembering something. "Hey, I still have my scrapbook. Here, let me get it for you guys."

Harry pulled up his bag from its place underneath his seat and rummaged around until he found what he was looking for. He flipped a few pages until he found the section where he catalogued the pictures of magical creatures of the Philippines. He showed it to his friends who were looking at the photos in disbelief.

"Bloody hell, Harry." Draco exclaimed. "Do you know how rare these pictures are? According to magical creature experts, these beings are seldom seen by humans. How you found them, I'll never know. If you sell these photos and notes to a publisher, you're going to be a millionaire, not that you aren't already considering you're a Potter."

"Well, I merely talked to a hermit who knew the local magical populace. We went around different areas and introduced me to the creatures. In fact, I asked their permission before taking the pictures. If you plan to see them for yourself then I can take you there anytime during the summer. However, I suggest you brush up on your stunning spells. The _Manananggal_ can be a tad nasty." the young sorcerer said with a shudder.

"No kidding. Splitting in half and showing everyone your innards would definitely make you cranky. I know I would." Daphne said sarcastically causing everyone in the group to nod in agreement.

* * *

**End of Chapter 22.**

**Please leave a comment or a review.**


	23. Chapter 23

**Hi, my beloved readers. I apologize for not updating as I used to. Work life is demanding all my time and I barely have any for my own so please bear with the delay. **

**When I logged in, I saw a bunch of reviews and I read one from someone I don't want to name (you know the guy/gal anyway) and I'm touched that a few of my readers readily rose up to the challenge to protect my dignity. **

**Anyway, to whoever you are (and no, I'm not going to put your name/alias here), that is my views in the matter. Besides, don't you think it's also hypocritical of you to say so? If you don't like my story or don't like how I reply to the flamers or reviewers, then please, feel free to stop reading my stories and look for others with authors that are more to your liking. Keep in mind that this is a HOBBY for me and NOT a way of life. If you're reacting to my profile then you definitely need to get a life. **

**Well, that's over and done with. Here's chapter 23. **

**HAPPY NEW YEAR!  
**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Belgariad. **

* * *

**Chapter 23: A Sorcerer in Detective Mode**

Harry barely got out of the carriage transporting when a loud voice stopped him.

"Mr. Potter!"

Harry followed the voice to see Professor McGonagall sternly looking down at him from the top of the steps.

"Good evening, Professor McGonagall." Harry greeted calmly, though a bit confused as to why he merited the attention of the strict Deputy Headmistress. "Anything I can do for you, professor?"

"I got word from one of the Prefects on the train that you brought along a black dog with you." McGonagall asked sternly.

"Uh, let me correct that, professor. I didn't bring a _black dog_. My familiar decided to come with me to Hogwarts…well, he usually comes and goes in secrecy but this is the first time he showed himself in front of the general public." Harry explained, deciding to be honest. He was prepared for any rebuttal they could come up with in regards to Zieg. After all, ART practically drilled him with the Hogwarts Chapter during his spare time to make sure that Dumbledore couldn't get a one up on him using school rules.

"Familiar?" McGonagall questioned. "As far as I'm concerned, Mr. Potter, you have a Snowy Owl as a familiar."

"Correction again, professor. If you want to be technical about it, Hedwig may be considered as a pet as indicated on my first year letter. Zieg, on the other hand, is my bonded animal. Hogwarts Charter Article 12 Section 25 states '_Students with a bonded familiar may bring the prescribed pets as long as the familiar adheres to the rule of not harming a student or staff of the school outside self-defense.'._" Harry stated calmly before sending a message to Zieg through their bond. Zieg immediately jumped out of the shadow from under the carriage and took his place beside his master. To those who saw the whole thing, it made for a very interesting sight.

"What manner of creature is he, Mr. Potter?" McGonagall asked in a subdued voice. The animal looked like a Grim especially the red eyes, eyes as if it was looking at your soul and judging.

"He is a Shadow Wolf or some prefer to call him a Shadow Hound though both are the same thing, professor, and he is totally harmless unless provoked. In fact, Zieg was practically smothered by Tracy during the whole train ride." Harry said with a snicker causing Tracy to blush upon hearing it. "Anyway, Professor McGonagall, I want you to meet my bonded familiar, Zieg. Zieg, this is my Transfiguration Professor and the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Professor Minerva McGonagall."

To the surprise of everyone, Zieg stepped forward before giving the stern Deputy Headmistress a bow of respect which a shocked McGonagall returned with a nod after regaining her composure.

"That clears up the misunderstanding. Please approach Professor Flitwick later after the dinner to perform a revealing spell to ensure that Zieg is really your familiar for the school records. Would it be safe to stay that he would be joining you in your room in Ravenclaw dorm?" McGonagall asked, still eyeing the magical wolf sitting on his haunches beside her favorite student.

"Yes on both questions, professor." Harry said with a nod. "Is there anything else?"

"None, Mr. Potter. Thank you for clarifying the rumors. Please proceed to the Great Hall from here. The feast will start in a few minutes." said McGonagall before entering the castle again, leaving a bunch of confused and awed students behind.

"Blimey! That was intense." Neville exclaimed with Blaise nodding in agreement to the statement.

"Harry, where did you learn the Hogwarts Charter? As far as I'm concerned, it is not a required reading." Daphne asked curiously. Despite being a Slytherin, she always had a passion for books, especially those she haven't read yet.

"I read about the Hogwarts Charter in _Hogwarts: A History._" Harry lied as he started making his way to the Great Hall with Zieg following beside him. The rest of the group was tagging along since they had the same destination as their impromptu leader. "I asked Madam Pince to point me to said book and I read it last year. When Zieg here decided to show himself to the world, I brushed up on the Charter and found the section where familiars and pets were discussed. If you're interested about the Charter, you can go to the History Section of the library, second row, left side, third to the last book, in thick brown leather with the Hogwarts shield on the face."

Daphne nodded in thanks, making a mental note to check out the book if possible or just read it in the library during her free time.

* * *

Dinner was quite interesting to say the least. Harry was the subject of stares and hushed conversations because of a rather large Shadow Wolf sitting behind him all throughout the feast, eating its own meal when the elves included the magical canine in their list to be fed. Zieg enjoyed the meal since the elves went all out, giving him his favorite meal of pumpkin, charcoal, and meat. Hedwig, not to be outdone, flew down from the window and settled on Harry's shoulder to be fed some bits of meat from the young sorcerer's own plate.

All in all, Harry found the stares to be irritating.

Harry breathed out a sigh of relief when the feast ended and the students were ushered back to their dorms by their respective Prefects. He, however, remained behind when Professor Flitwick signaled for him to stay. All the professors were there, including the Headmaster who was trying to avoid Harry's eyes, as Flitwick cast the Familiar Bond Revealing Spell on the two. The bright glow that encompassed Harry and Zieg gave testament to how powerful the bond was which answered everyone's question. When that was done, Harry was escorted back to his room by his Head of House since the Heir of Slytherin was still around and the professors all decided that they didn't want another incident on their hands.

Harry entered his room to find his trunk already tucked nicely beside his wardrobe and all of his things were already in their proper places. His pixie friends were back and smothering his cheeks with kisses causing him to blush. He knew that they were doing it on purpose since they were giggling as they floated in mid-air. Dang pixies and their mischievous ways.

"ART?" asked Harry while trying to stop one of the more playful pixies from giving him a kiss again.

"_Yes, sir?" _the AI's voice came out of the laptop's speakers.

"Good, I want you to send an email to my supplier in muggle London. Order enough supplies for 50 scanners and wires for the entire school. I will have it picked up by Griphook when ready." Harry informed his AI as he placed the pixie in a telekinetic hold. The other pixies were flying around their frozen friend who had an irritated look on her face.

"_As you wish, sir. Does this mean you're going to expand my network to include Hogwarts?"_

"Spot on." Harry said with a grin. "During the train ride, I realized that my two years here was far from being peaceful. With Dumbledore and Voldemort around, I doubt it would stop anytime soon. If the trend continues then I need to arm myself properly. I have no intentions of switching school since I made quite a lot of friends here and I don't want to let Dumbledore get away so the best way to protect myself is to make sure that I have eyes and ears everywhere when I'm around."

"_Astute observation, sir. How about the power source? The number of scanners you proposed requires enormous power and I doubt that the current capacity of your laptop could provide it."_

"Create a new project file and transfer all relevant information on Magical Ley Lines there. If my theory is right then we won't need another magical battery to do what I have in mind. Also, tell Griphook to send me twelve large diamonds, the bigger the better. I think it's time that I make my own magical battery even if the ones Nick made is superior." Harry informed his research partner. "I will give you further instructions when everything is prepared."

"_Proceeding with instructions. Email has been sent along with a notification to Griphook regarding your acquisition. Connecting with main server via the Internet. Connection complete and stable. Downloading necessary information. Estimated time of completion, 8 hours." _ART reported.

"Great. While you're at it, do a thorough scan of Diagon and Knockturn Alley for any information about the Chamber of Secrets and the basilisk, this includes conversations that you could pick up within range of the scanners. Compile the information in a single file and leave it open on the screen. I'll read it in the morning. Since it's a weekend tomorrow, I can devote all my time to doing research. For now, I'm going to bed."

"_Good night, sir."_

* * *

Harry was staring incredulously at the Great Hall. Gone were the House Tables to be replaced by four dueling platforms. Dumb-Hart was currently standing in a raised podium explaining that he started a dueling club to help student protect themselves against the Heir of Slytherin. Harry couldn't help but scoff at that.

Considering that he didn't want to become part of such a farce, he decided to lean on the wall at the back of the crowd and watched the whole thing. He couldn't help but smile when those in his study group displayed proficiency in spells they learned since attending Hogwarts. In fact, quite a lot of his peers astounded the onlookers as they displayed their proficiency in Tranfiguration, Charms, and DADA. Neville even conjured some of the more dangerous plants to distract his opponent. All in all, Harry preened at the attention his study group was getting.

However, he was caught unprepared when his name was called.

"Now for the final duel of the night, let me call on Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy to come up." Lockhart announced before smiling at the group of giggling girls in front of him. He might have lost a lot of admirers thanks to Harry but he still had a few diehard fans who didn't give up on him.

Harry sighed before pushing himself off the wall and made his way to the indicated platform. He face must have scared the students since they parted to make for him as he trudged to the raised platform. He stopped on his side and flicked out his wand lazily. He saw Draco on the other end, drawing his wand the same way.

"Come here, boys." Lockhart said expansively. Both Harry and Draco rolled their eyes but approached to avoid calling attention to themselves. Well…more attention anyway. "Let's see, as I already explained the rules in proper dueling. Let me just remind you both that your aim is to disarm only. Now, prepare yourselves."

Harry and Draco both nodded to each other, smirking all the while. They turned on their heels and took fifteen steps before coming to a stop and turned to face each other. Draco was in a dueling stance but Harry was standing lazily, his wand to his side.

"On my mark…ready….go!" Lockhard shouted, releasing a loud bang from his wand.

"_**Expelliarmus!"**_ Draco fired his first spell which caused Harry to raise an eyebrow before catching the spell with the glowing tip of his wand and flicked it to the side, the hex splashing harmlessly on the dueling shield surrounding the platform courtesy of Professor Flitwick.

"Impatient, aren't we, Drake." Harry said with a smirk with Malfoy doing the same.

"Nice trick, Har. Bet you can't do that again." Draco taunted, his wand already weaving to form a spell chain Harry taught him when they tackled dueling during their study sessions.

"Well, there's only one way to find out, right?" was all Harry's reply before Draco started firing spells at him.

"_**Stupefy! Expelliarmus! Petrificus Totalus! Bombarda!"**_ Draco released his spell chain in quick succession to the surprise of the onlookers. Chaining spells was a complicated art since it requires total focus and accuracy as they move through the different wand movements for the different spells, while channeling enough power to ensure that they were at ample strength. According to books on Dueling, spell chaining was common in Dueling Circuits around the globe.

Harry decided to have fun. Seeing the rapid fire of spells coming at him, he pumped a bit of magic into his body to increase his speed. He surprised quite a lot of students and faculty members as he expertly dodged the spells without batting an eyelash, moving with a grace of a seasoned dancer. His training session with ART paid off as none of the spells were able to hit him.

However, the shock didn't stop there as Harry implemented his next plan of attack as he got out of the spells' path.

His wand became a blur as he caught each and every one of the spells with the tip of his wand and flicking them over to Lockhart who tried to dodge the barrage but wasn't fast enough. He got hit by the first three spells in Draco's arsenal, putting him unconscious, relieving him of his wand, and freezing him in place. He fell to the wooden platform with a loud thud. The explosion hex hit the shield opposite of Lockhart's location making it flicker due to its power.

Deciding that he had enough fun for the night, Harry decided to go into the offensive.

"_**Avis! Conjurus! Expelliarmus! Stupefy!"**_ whispered Harry as he whipped out his own spell chain to end the duel.

The flock of birds blocked the other spells from Draco's sight while causing a distraction. The conjured ropes coiled around the blonde easily since he couldn't see it thanks the birds trying to peck his eyes out, his wand flew out of his bound hand before getting hit by the stunning spell. Harry merely raised his hand to catch the black wand before bowing to the crowd.

Considering that Lockhart was out of it at the moment, he approached Draco and woke him up a non-verbal enervate and banished the ropes holding him in place. He offered a hand which Draco took before pulling the blonde up to his feet.

"Nice duel, Drake, though you might want to try a bit more creativity next time." Harry advised as he handed the wand back to its owner. "You immediately went for the offensive without thinking about distracting your opponent. It is a good combo but you might want to diversify your attacks to make it more effective and keep your opponents on their toes."

"I'll keep that in mind." Draco said dryly but smirked. "I never saw someone fire spells so fast. Sure, you taught us to do the spell chains but how did you get them out so fast. I didn't even see you dothe wand movements. What's your secret?"

"I'll tell you in the next study session next week." was all Harry's reply before exiting the platform and out of the Great Hall amidst the clapping of the cheering students.

Flitwick was trying hard to wake up Lockhart but he couldn't do so since Harry added more power into Draco's spells with his wand before flinging it at the fraud. ART definitely came through in helping him research the various theories on magical energy, allowing him to manipulate other's magic and adding to it. He was not an expert but he would become one in time given practice.

* * *

Harry felt like banging his head on the wall. It had been a week since his duel with Draco and the Hogwarts gossip mill was on overdrive. Everywhere he went, people would stop what they were doing and would either stare at him with awe, whisper to their friends, or just giggle at the sight of him.

It was maddening, annoying, and downright irritating.

Not only that, Zieg and his pixie friends were always around him, keeping guard since the Heir of Slytherin was still out and about.

Whether he was in the classroom, library, or just walking around the darkened halls of the castle, they were always around to keep a watchful eye.

The reason for the protection detail was the recent attack on two students – Penelope Clearwater and Colin Creevey. The Heir of Slytherin struck again and wasn't taking any prisoners in his or her vendetta. Thankfully, the petrification didn't last long because he immediately approached Madam Pomfrey and gave her his stock of Restoration Draught.

Upon asking why he had some in his person, Harry merely informed the Mediwitch that he prepared it during the Yule Break just in case if his friends got petrified. Pomfrey thanked him profusely before administering the cure though she let the two students remain in the hospital wing for 2 more days for observation just to be on the safe side.

Outside his classes and studies, Harry was busy researching about the Chamber of Secrets and how to beat a basilisk just in case he was forced to face the beast. Since factual info was out, he resorted to history. It would seem that Salazar's chamber was in the past and was marked by the death of a student.

"The last known record of the Chamber of Secrets being opened was in 1943. According to my research, during the reign of Headmaster Dippet, the Chamber of Secrets was opened, releasing the unproven basilisk which resulted in the death of student, Myrtle, now a ghost haunting the first-floor bathroom. After interviewing Myrtle yesterday, which I should note was not a pleasant ghost to hang around with; she mentioned that she saw a pair of yellow eyes looking at her from one of the sinks before she died." Harry spoke while flipping the notes of the interview and his research. He was voicing it out loud so ART could record it for later use. "Also, it was mentioned that the one who opened the chamber was Rubeus Hagrid, now the Groundkeeper of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, after he was implicated by a fifth year prefect of that same year that goes by the name of Tom Marvolo Riddle. Did you get all of that, ART?"

"_I did, sir. I have now correlated the information into the file for this investigation."_

"Good, now that we have some facts regarding when and why the chamber was opened. We need to know _where_ the chamber is." Harry mused. "ART, bring up the layout of the first level of Hogwarts."

ART complied by bringing up the requested map before speaking.

"_What are you trying to find out, sir?"_

"I'm not sure yet but if I mark the location of the attacks, then it is quite possible to triangulate the location of Slytherin's chamber or where it's entrance is." Harry answered before using the mouse to point out an area of the map where Mrs. Norris was attacked. "This is the location where Filch's cat was petrified." He moved the mouse again to pinpoint a corridor a few meters away from the first site. "This is where Penelope Clearwater was attacked." He moved the mouse again. "And this is where Colin Crevey was petrified."

Harry studied the red blinking dots denoting where the attack took place. Acting on instinct, Harry moved the pointer over to Myrtle's bathroom and marked the place as well.

"If we base the attacks according to the timeline, we can see that the attacks originated from the first floor bathroom or somewhere near it. However, from Myrtle's description, it is quite possible that the unproven basilisk came out of the aforementioned bathroom. Meaning, the entrance of the chamber is somewhere there." Harry said, his eyes never leaving the red dot that was Moaning Myrtle's home. "Right, now we have a potential location, now let's try to find out who the Heir really is."

"_Have you determined the credential of Rubeus Hagrid, sir?"_

"I have and I doubt Hagrid is the heir of Slytherin. For starters, Hagrid is a half-giant, meaning, it is against Slytherin's pureblood ideology to give the heirship to a half-blood, much less, a wizard with creature blood. No, I think Hagrid is the scapegoat here." Harry said, pausing to gather his thoughts. "ART, try to scan our records if you have any historic matches to a wizard by the name of Tom Marvolo Riddle."

"_Seaching…searching complete. I have no information on Tom Marvolo Riddle or any persons under that name except for his implication Rubeus Hagrid back in 1943 and receiving an award for Special Service to the school."_

"Dang." Harry cursed. "I thought it would be easy though I expected as much. The best way to get information on a witch or wizard is through the Ministry and there is no way for me to place scanners there without alerting the Aurors or Unspeakables. Oh well, I guess we do this the hard way then."

"_The hard way, sir?"_

"Yes, good old fashion investigation." Harry declared, his eyes glinting in determination as he reached for his phone. It was time to make use of his connection in the DMLE to help him out.

* * *

Amelia Bones stared incredulously at the phone she was holding before an exasperated sigh escaped her lips. It was almost midnight when Harry Potter gave her a call asking for information regarding a Hogwarts graduate in 1943, which required a bit of digging in the Department of Magical Education and Department of Records.

Of course, she had no problems doing that since being the Head of the DMLE allowed her access to any pertinent records she needs for an investigation. However, she needed to know why she would be seeking such information.

She was livid when she found out that the 'Heir of Slytherin' was petrifying students but she refrained from sending Aurors to investigate since Harry Potter had everything well in hand. She was a bit dubious at first but finally relented since the boy seemed to have things planned out – to find out who was attacking and making sure that the petrifications were reversed.

She was astounded at the lengths at how the boy investigated the issue and was pondering if it was possible to have the boy work for her in the future as her hidden agent in Hogwarts.

Considering that her niece, Susan Bones, was in Hogwarts at the moment, she decided to get started with Harry Potter's request. The sooner the identity of the Heir of Slytherin was discovered, the sooner this issue would end.

* * *

Harry was sneaking around Hogwarts under a form of invisibility using sorcery. He started stalking the halls of the ancient school to find clues as to where the Chamber of Secrets was, and if possible, find out the heir's identity and put a stop to him or her. He did this for a week now but nothing substantial came up.

The only upside to his lack of findings was the victims' recovery. Thanks to his donation to the Hospital Wing, all the petrified students were back to normal in a matter of days instead of having to wait for the draught Snape was brewing to finish.

Harry was about to call it a night and translocate himself back to his room when a voice stopped him.

"Are you looking for Wrackspurts, Harry Potter? They usually come out when no one's around so you might get lucky tonight."

Harry quickly turned to see Luna staring at him with those glassy grey orbs of hers.

"Luna?" he asked tentatively since there should be no way for the girl to see him since he was invisible. Who was this girl?

"Yes, I am Luna. I know that I already introduced myself to you, Harry Potter, but if you forgot then I will do so again. My name is Luna Lovegood, nice to meet you." Luna said dreamily, offering her hand for Harry to shake.

Harry shook his head in both exasperation and amusement before giving the girl a wry look. He accepted the hand and gave it a shake.

"No, I didn't forget you, Ms. Lovegood. In fact, I'm surprised to find you outside the dorms at this time of night." Harry said mildly while sending out a probe to find out how the girl saw through his sorcery.

He immediately recalled his probe after briefly touching the Luna's mind, suffering a mild headache as he did so. The girl didn't have a smidgen of mental defense but the assault of thoughts left him with a headache which he knew would worsen if he stayed connected.

"Oh, I sleep outside the dorms since I usually find myself in an abandoned room when I wake up. After a few nights of it happening, I don't stay in the dorms anymore unless I go there to look for my things. Nargles tend to hide them from me." Luna informed him in a nonchalant way that made Harry suspicious.

Not dismissing the girl's admission, he quickly checked the girl with a bit of a probe. She was alright if not a bit cold. He sensed the remnants of a stunning spell on her which made his eyes narrow. However, what angered him was the lack of shoes on the girls feet or the dirty clothes she was wearing. She wasn't even wearing her robes and it was a cold night.

"Luna, could you please tell me why you're not staying in the Ravenclaw dorms?" asked Harry in a deceptively calm voice. He just realized that he rarely saw Luna in the tower even when he stayed up late after a long study session with his peers.

"I don't know, Harry Potter…" Luna started but Harry stopped her.

"Harry, call me Harry, Luna." He insisted with a smile.

"I see." Luna pursed her lips, deep in thought before smiling at him. "As I said before, Harry, I usually find myself alone in an abandoned classroom. After a few times of it happening, I decided to turn that classroom into my home while here in school. It needs a bit of sprucing up though. Do you think the house elves would be kind enough to do it for me?"

Harry was trying in vain to keep his anger contained. Luna was being bullied by their housemates. The thought made him livid.

"Please follow me, Luna. I'm going to take care of this problem. The sooner the better." Harry said as he took hold of Luna's hand and started making his way to the Ravenclaw dorms with the blonde in tow.

He was going to get to the bottom of this and make sure that Selene's daughter finds her stay in Hogwarts an ejoyable experience.

* * *

**End of Chapter 23**

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	24. Important Announcement POLL UP

**Greetings, my beloved readers and followers;**

**First of all, I would like to thank everyone for your patronage of my fanstories, your many reviews and comments have helped in their development, and granted me a boon in learning and improving in the process.**

**The reason I am putting up this announcement is the lack of time I currently have to devote to my stories. Work and some issues raised its ugly head and demands quite a lot of my time, taking quite a chunk of my writing and brainstorming sessions.**

**This is why I decided to put up a poll to give you, my readers and followers, a chance to pick stories that you want me to work on. This doesn't mean that I won't be working with the rest, only that updates would be pretty slow due to the lack of time I have at my disposal.**

**Anyway, the poll is up and please pick three stories you want me to focus my attention on. The poll will be up for 2 weeks before I will post an announcement as to what stories will be updated.**

**That's it for now.**

**Cheers everyone.**

**Corruptmonk**


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